Several parts combine into one character.

A character with mythological etymology. Originally 法 contained 三 elements: 氵 (water) + 廌 (a legendary just-judging beast called xièzhì / haitai — a horned creature that could distinguish right from wrong) + 去 (to depart / cast away). The encoded scene: "the just beast carries the wrongdoer away on water" → law as moral filtering. Over time the 廌 element was dropped, leaving just 氵 + 去. The water radical 氵 retains the original meaning: law should flow with the impartial fairness of water. Identical across 繁體 / 新字体 / 简体.

法 covers law, method, manner, and Buddhist dharma — four meanings unified by "the way things should proceed".

Mandarin: fǎ, dipping 3rd tone. 法律 (fǎlǜ, law), 方法 (fāngfǎ, method), 办法 (bànfǎ, way of doing / solution — extremely high-frequency word), 语法 (yǔfǎ, grammar), 法国 (Fǎguó, France — phonetic borrowing for "France"), 想办法 (xiǎng bànfǎ, "think of a way / find a solution"). The phrase 没办法 (méi bànfǎ, "no way / can't be helped") is one of the most common Mandarin sentences.

Japanese: on-reading ホウ (hō) is dominant — 方法 (hōhō, method), 文法 (bunpō, grammar — the standard term for grammar in Japanese language education), 法律 (hōritsu, law), 法則 (hōsoku, law of nature), 憲法 (kenpō, constitution), 仏法 (buppō, Buddhist Dharma — Buddhist teachings). Less common ホッ (ho-, geminate) in 法度 (hatto, prohibition). Kun-reading のり (nori) survives only in old proper nouns — 法 was thoroughly Sino-Japanized.

The Buddhist dimension is essential: 仏法 (Buppō, the Buddha's Dharma — the teachings) is one of the Three Treasures of Buddhism, and 法 in this context translates the Sanskrit "dharma" — the cosmic order or universal teaching.

Memory aid: water flowing equally + departing — the impartial flow of justice.