TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
醋
醋 = 酉 + 昔
ㄘㄨˋ · cù
noun — vinegar; (吃醋) jealousy
字源 FORM — what the parts do
酉義a wine jar — the ferment
IFTxī → cù — worn far from the donor
Wine (酉) left to turn — fermentation soured into vinegar. 昔 xī, "former days," carries the sound, worn far to cù. The taste lent a feeling: 吃醋, to swallow vinegar, is to be jealous.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一甕酒(酉)擱了好些日子(昔),開蓋一聞——酸了,成醋了。
A jar of wine (酉) left standing many days (昔) — you lift the lid and it has turned sour: vinegar.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)醋— vinegar常用
→吃醋— jealousy — to swallow vinegar常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension