TSUMUGU · C1 (est.) · 字
峭
ㄑㄧㄠˋ · qiào
adj — steep, precipitous; (of features) sharp
字源 FORM — what the parts do
ITxiào → qiào — x stiffened to q, tone shifts too
A mountain (山) and 肖 xiào for the sound — a slope that drops sheer, a cliff with no easy footing: 峭壁、陡峭. From the sheer rock the word reaches features cut sharp: 峭拔. 肖 builds the sound in 消、削、悄、逍.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
山（山）壁直直切下去，連根草都掛不住——峭。
The mountain (山) wall drops straight down, not even a blade of grass can hold — sheer.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)陵也— a steep ridge, sheer slope
→陡峭、峭壁— steep, precipitous常用
⇒峭拔、冷峭— sharp — cut clean, severe
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension