TSUMUGU · TOCFL 3 (est.) · 字
存
ㄘㄨㄣˊ · cún
verb — to exist; to keep, store
字源 FORM — what the parts do
Fcái → cún
A child (子) with 才 cái for the sound — a sprout just breaking ground; the final shifts to cún. The first sense is to look in on someone — 存問, asking after the living. What is looked in on is still there: to exist (存在), to keep safe (保存, 存錢).
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
推門看一眼——孩子（子）還睡得好好的。
The door eases open for one look — the child (子) still sleeping soundly.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)存問、慰問— to look in on, ask after
→存在、生存— to exist — still there常用
→保存、存錢— to keep, store
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension