party, gang, clique
聯 centers on a group of people linked together: a party, gang, or clique. The idea is a connected, often informal, association.
聯 combines 耳 (ear) with a phonetic component that also suggests linking or connecting. The exact historical development of the right side is uncertain, but the character is associated with joining or linking, which extended to groups of people.
The left side is an ear 耳, and the right side looks like a tangle of threads or connections. Imagine a group of people linked together like a chain, whispering secrets ear to ear—that's a clique or gang.
For レン, picture a gang of friends all named Len: Len -> レン, and they form a tight-knit party.
General Association of Korean Residents in Japan (abbr.); Chongryon
couplet (Chinese poetry)
United Bamboo Gang (Taiwanese crime syndicate)
Yonhap News (South Korean media company)
United Daily News (Taiwanese newspaper)
Yon Hap News Agency
Lenovo
UnionPay (China)