TSUMUGU · TOCFL 5 (est.) · 字
吏
ㄌㄧˋ · lì
noun — a minor official, a clerk
字源 FORM — what the parts do
The same hand-and-record as 史 (the scribe), capped with one more stroke (一) — the record held aloft. 吏 and 史 split from one graph: 史 the keeper of records, 吏 the officer who carries out affairs. The functionary: 官吏、吏部.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
史官手裡的記錄（史）上頭多了一橫（一），舉起來——這回是去辦事的。
The scribe's record (史) gains one stroke (一) on top and is raised up — this time the holder goes to carry out the work.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)官吏— a minor official, a functionary常用
→吏部— the board of personnel — the office that ran the officials
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension