TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
隻
隻 ＝ 隹 ＋ 又
ㄓ · zhī
measure word — one of a pair, a count for animals, ships, hands (一隻鳥, 一隻手)
字源 FORM — what the parts do
隹義a short-tailed bird
A hand (又) holding one bird (隹). One bird in the hand — a single, just one. From there the count word for animals and single things: 一隻鳥、一隻手、一隻船.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
手（又）裡攥著一隻鳥（隹）——就這一隻。
One bird (隹) caught in the hand (又) — just this one.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)持一隹— one bird held in the hand
→一隻、單隻— single, one of a pair常用
⇒一隻鳥、一隻狗— count word for animals, ships, hands常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension