TSUMUGU · C1 (est.) · 字
若
若 ＝ 艸 ＋ 右
ㄖㄨㄛˋ · ruò
conj/verb — if; to be like, to seem; (literary) you
字源 FORM — what the parts do
艸形grass on top (writes as 艹)
The old graph carries two tellings. In one, grass (艸) and a hand (右) — a hand picking and sorting plants, choosing the good leaves; the choosing gave "if": pick this case, then that. In the other, the oldest graph shows a kneeling figure with raised hands smoothing wild hair into order — a picture of yielding, going along with; from "to comply" came "to be like, to be as." Both pictures sit under today's 如、若如此.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一隻手（右）在草（艸）叢裡挑挑揀揀，揀中哪株——就如那株。
A hand (右) sorting through the grass (艸), settling on one stalk — be like that one.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)擇菜、順從— to pick and choose; to comply
→如、好像— to be like, to seem常用
⇒若、假若— if常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension