TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
幫
幫 ＝ 封 ＋ 帛
ㄅㄤ · bāng
verb — to help; noun — a group; the side of a shoe
字源 FORM — what the parts do
{b,p,f}IFfēng → bāng — initial crosses inside {b,p,f}; the final shifts too
帛義silk cloth
Cloth (帛) below, 封 above for the sound. The oldest job is the side of a shoe (鞋幫) — the part that holds the foot; the group at your side and the helping hand grew from there.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
鞋破了，縫上一塊布（帛）——撐住它。
The shoe splits — a patch of cloth (帛) sewn on, holding it together.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)鞋幫— the side of a shoe
→一幫人、幫派— the group at your side
→幫忙、幫助— to side with — to help常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
例 · Examples
1你幫了我大忙。
You really saved me.
2幫我開個門，好嗎？
Get the door for me?
3大家互相幫助。幫忙、幫助
Everyone helps each other.
4來了一幫朋友。
A whole crew of friends showed up.
5這雙鞋的鞋幫破了。鞋幫
The shoe's upper has split.
Underlined 幫 is this entry; dotted words carry a gloss — hold ⇧ Shift and hover, or tap.