TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
最
最 ＝ 冃 ＋ 取
ㄗㄨㄟˋ · zuì
adv — most, -est
字源 FORM — what the parts do
冃義a cover, a cap — worn to 曰 in the modern form
A hand takes (取) from under the cover (冃, worn to 曰) — to seize past all cover. In the old merit counts the top tally was 最, the bottom 殿; the top stayed: 最好、最快、最後.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
掀開蓋（冃），手（取）伸進去——揀走最上面那一件。
The cover (冃) lifts, the hand (取) goes in — the topmost piece comes out.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)犯取——強取— to seize past cover
→上功——殿最— the top tally in the merit counts
⇒最——第一— most — the superlative常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension