entries → 螞
TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
character · TOCFL 2 (est.)
螞 =
ㄇㄚˇ · mǎ
noun — (in 螞蟻) ant; (in 螞蚱) grasshopper

字源 FORM — what the parts do

an insect
mǎ — gives the sounda horse
An insect (虫) with 馬 mǎ for the sound, the sound borrowed whole and unchanged. It names the small crawlers it pairs with: 螞蟻、螞蚱.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

一隻蟲()配上(mǎ)的音——可寫的是地上最小的爬蟲,螞蟻。
An insect (虫) takes the horse's sound (馬) — yet writes the tiniest crawler on the ground, the ant.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)螞蟻— ant常用
螞蚱— grasshopper, locust
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension