征
zhēng
to invite
to recruit; to levy (taxes); to draft (troops); phenomenon; symptom; characteristic sign (used as proof); evidence
step (彳) + straight/upright (正) = march out to levy or recruit
彳 is the 'step' radical, suggesting movement along a path. 正 mainly provides the sound zhēng; together the image is of marching forward on a straight course — to go out and gather, levy, or conscript.
政府开始征税，每个人都要交钱。
zhèngfǔ kāishǐ zhēng shuì，měi gè rén dōu yào jiāo qián。
The government started levying taxes; everyone has to pay money.
战争期间，国家征兵来保卫边境。
zhànzhēng qījiān，guójiā zhēng bīng lái bǎowèi biānjìng。
During the war, the country drafted soldiers to defend the border.
Words with 征
临床特征
lín chuáng tè zhēng
clinical characteristic
遄征
chuán zhēng
to hurry forward on an expedition
远征
yuǎn zhēng
an expedition, esp. military
远征军
yuǎn zhēng jūn
expeditionary force
长征
cháng zhēng
expedition
开征
kāi zhēng
to start collecting taxes
关征
guān zhēng
customs levy
陆征祥
lù zhēng xiáng
Lu Zhengxiang (1871-1949), Chinese diplomat and Catholic monk
飞征
fēi zhēng
(archaic) birds and animals
骨髓增生异常综合征
gǔ suǐ zēng shēng yì cháng zōng hé zhēng
myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS)
体征
tǐ zhēng
(medical) sign
魏征
wèi zhēng
Wei Zheng (580-643), Tang politician and historian, notorious as a critic, editor of History of the Sui Dynasty 隋書|隋书