爬（爪+巴）

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if you split it apart, the left is a 爪（zhǎo/zhuǎ）, and the right is a 巴（bā），so：

爪+巴=爬

爪（when it is read zhǎo）：refers to animals’ claws, like eagle claw, crab claw, etc.，there is a slang that henchman is called 爪牙（zhǎo yá）, means someone is just like your claw and teeth whom you can trust, they are your faithful follower.

爪（when it is read zhuǎ）: something looks like claws such as your long slim finger（usually, it’s a joke）or toes.

so, 爬 is an action first made by using animal‘s’ claw, finger, toes, or even bodies, like snail,  etc.

and, actually, all the actions including crawling, creeping and climbing could be called 爬, for example, 爬山（climbing mountains），爬树（climbing trees），爬着（is climbing）….