TSUMUGU · B1 · 字
歉
ㄑㄧㄢˋ · qiàn
verb/noun — to fall short; an apology
字源 FORM — what the parts do
{j,q}ITjiān → qiàn — initial crosses within {j,q}, tone falls
A figure with an open, wanting mouth (欠) and 兼, which carries the sound — not enough, a shortfall. First of grain: 歉收, a poor harvest. Then of feeling: 抱歉, the sense of falling short toward someone — an apology. 兼 jiān has drifted to qiàn; the same 兼 builds 嫌、廉.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
收成歉（兼）了，嘴（欠）張著也填不滿——心裡也覺得虧欠。
The harvest falls short (兼), the mouth (欠) open and unfilled — and one feels the lack toward another.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)歉收— a poor harvest, a shortfall
→抱歉、歉意— an apology; regret常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension