TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 · 字
矮
矮 ＝ 矢 ＋ 委
ㄞˇ · ǎi
adj — short (of a person), low
字源 FORM — what the parts do
矢義an arrow — the measuring rodlengths were judged against the shaft
IFwěi → ǎi — the w falls away
An arrow (矢) for the measuring rod — what stands against the shaft and comes up under it. 委 gives the sound, wěi worn to ǎi. The same arrow serves twice: 短 takes the lengths, 矮 takes the heights — 個子矮.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
把箭（矢）立在孩子身旁，箭羽剛到他的眉毛。
The arrow (矢) stood upright beside the child — the fletching just clears his brow.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)短人— a short person — 說文's gloss常用
→矮牆、矮屋— low — of walls and houses
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension