TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
科
科 ＝ 禾 ＋ 斗
ㄎㄜ · kē
noun — branch, category; subject of study
字源 FORM — what the parts do
禾義grain on the stalk
斗義the dipper-measure
Grain (禾) meets the measure (斗): scooped, levelled, graded — sorting by measure is the original sense. From grading: the class and the branch — 科目, 外科 — and knowledge sorted into branches, 科學.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
新穀（禾）嘩啦倒進斗（斗）裡，刮板一推平——這一等，歸這一倉。
New grain (禾) rattles into the measure (斗); the strike-board levels it — this grade goes to this bin.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)以斗量禾、分等— to measure and grade grain
→科目、科系— branch, category常用
⇒科學— science — knowledge in branches
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension