TSUMUGU · TOCFL 3 (est.) · 字
爭
爭 ＝ 爫 ＋ 彐 ＋ 亅
ㄓㄥ · zhēng
verb — to contend, fight over
字源 FORM — what the parts do
爫義a hand reaching from above
彐義a hand gripping from below
亅形the thing between them — held fast
A hand from above (爫), a hand from below (彐), one thing (亅) between them — both pulling; together they write to contend. The grab is 爭奪; in words it is 爭論; aimed at a goal it is 爭取.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
上面的手不鬆，下面的手不放，中間那根棍誰也拿不走。
The top hand holds, the bottom hand grips — and the stick between them goes nowhere.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)搶、爭奪— to snatch, contend for常用
→爭論、爭吵— to argue — contending in words
→爭取、力爭— to strive for
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension