entries → 負
TSUMUGU · TOCFL 3 (est.) · 字
character · TOCFL 3 (est.)
負 =
ㄈㄨˋ · fù
verb — to carry on the back; to bear; to lose

字源 FORM — what the parts do

a person bending — worn to two strokes
a cowry shell — money
A person (⺈, bent over) and a cowry (貝). The old graph carries two tellings: a man leaning on his money — counting on it; a man with the shells strapped on — carrying them. Both lines live on: 負責 carries the duty, 負債 the debt; the back turned on a kindness is 辜負, and the beaten side of 勝負 is the 負 one.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

錢袋()沉沉壓在背上,腰()彎得更低——一步一步扛回去。
The money-bag (貝) presses down; the back (⺈) bends lower — step by step, carried home.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)背負— to carry on the back
負責、負擔— to bear duty, burden常用
辜負— to let down — the back turned
勝負、負面— defeat; the minus side
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension