TSUMUGU · TOCFL C1 (est.) · 字
堰
堰 ＝ 土 ＋ 匽
ㄧㄢˋ · yàn
noun — a weir, a low dam across a stream
字源 FORM — what the parts do
匽聲yǎn — gives the sounda sheltered, laid-down enclosure (匸 a cover over 妟); tone is all that shifted
Tyǎn → yàn — same syllable, tone lifts
Earth (土) banked across the flow holds the water back — a weir. 匽 yǎn carries the sound, the tone lifting to yàn. The bank lies low and laid-down, just enough to pool the stream.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
把土（土）一筐筐倒進溪裡，攔出一道矮壩，水就停在前頭了。
Basket after basket of earth (土) tipped into the stream, until a low wall stands and the water pools behind it.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)堰、攔河堰— a weir, a low dam常用
→堰塞湖— a barrier lake — water dammed by a landslide
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
偃yǎnshares the body — 偃 lays a person (亻) down, 堰 lays earth () across the water壩bàthe partner sense — the big dam to 堰's low weir