to tie

Phonosemantic compound. represents the sound and represents the meaning.

Components
毄 sound component

  Sound component

  

to hit against

糸 meaning component

  Meaning component

  

silk

thread

Evolution

繫 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
繫 Clerical script Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)

Clerical script

Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
繫 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
繫 Clerical script Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)

Clerical script

Cao Wei (Three Kingdoms: 222-280 AD)
繫 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

() 

attach, connect, unite, fasten; to connect; to arrest; to worry

() 

to tie; to fasten; to button up

Most common words with 繫
Freq.
Word
Meaning

关系

relation

系统

system

联系

connection

to connect

没关系

it doesn't matter