entries → 呆
TSUMUGU · C1 (est.) · 字
呆 character · C1 (est.)
呆 ＝ 口 ＋ 木
ㄉㄞ · dāi
adj — dull, blank; verb — to stay put

字源 FORM — what the parts do

口義a mouth hanging open
木義a tree, wood — stiff and unmoving
A mouth (口) hanging open over wood (木) — the face gone stiff and blank. From the wooden stare comes the second life of the word: to stay put, to stay rooted in one place.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

嘴（口）張著合不上，整個人像塊木（木）——愣住了。
The mouth (口) hangs open and won't close, the whole person like a block of wood (木) — frozen blank.
記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)發呆、呆滯— dull, blank, in a daze常用
→呆笨— slow-witted
→呆在家裡— to stay put, stay in one place常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
木mùthe wood underneath — a tree alone, no mouth杏xìngsame two pieces stacked the other way — 木 over 口 is the apricot