Right
无 supplies the sound (wú → fǔ, an Old-Chinese labial alternation). The simplified
抚 replaced the traditional
撫's right side (the phonetic
無) with the simpler
无 — but both spell the same sound. Pure phonetic role. From the literal hand-stroking meaning came the wider senses 'pacify, comfort, take care of':
安抚 (appease),
抚养 (raise),
抚琴 (play zither — the stroking of strings).
