セン, ち, かず, ゆき

thousand

JLPT5 G1 S3 F195

The relevant oracle bone form of this character is person with a line drawn at the shin to indicate a person progressing in small increments through luxuriant vegetation (compare and ) → *one thousand* (← number reached by counting on and on). It is unclear whether it is or the line element acting as the phonosemantic element.

[Full Kanji Etymology List]