TSUMUGU · B1 (est.) · 字
挖
挖 ＝ 扌 ＋ 穵
ㄨㄚ · wā
verb — to dig, scoop out
字源 FORM — what the parts do
扌義the hand
穵聲wā — a hole (穴) over 乙; gives the soundrare on its own — met almost only here
The hand (扌) works down into a hole — to dig. 穵 wā carries the sound, and it is itself a cave (穴) opened up, so the meaning leans the same way. 挖土 turns earth, 挖掘 excavates, 挖洞 sinks a hole.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
手（扌）伸進穴（穵）口，一把一把把土摳出來。
The hand (扌) reaches into the cave-mouth (穵) and scoops the earth out fistful by fistful.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)挖、挖掘— to dig, excavate常用
→挖空、挖洞— to hollow out, sink a hole
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
穵wāthe phonetic, an opened cave — 挖 sets the hand to it控＝ ＋ 空kònga hand-plus-look-alike right side — but 控 is 空 (to control, accuse)