check, search

查 is composed of 木 (wood) and a variant of 且 (and). 且 is a pictograph of a chopping block or pedestal, conveying the idea of a barrier or blocking; thus, the original meaning of 查 is a wooden fence or floating barricade. A barrier on a river intercepts objects in the water, allowing people to inspect them closely. Hence, 查 extended to mean examining, inspecting, and searching.