TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
係
係 ＝ 亻 ＋ 系
ㄒㄧˋ · xì
verb — to tie to, relate; formal 'is'
字源 FORM — what the parts do
亻義a person
系聲xì — gives the sound exactlya hand gathering silk threads — the tying carries into the meaning too
A person (亻) with threads tied on — 系, a hand gathering silk, gives both the sound and the tie. Fastened to: 關係, the tie between people and things; in official prose, 係 is the 'is' that pins a thing to its name.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一條線（系）從他（亻）手腕牽出去——線那頭是誰，他就跟誰脫不開。
A thread (系) runs from his wrist (亻); whoever holds the far end, he is tied to.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)綁、繫住— to tie, fasten
→關係— a connection — the tie between常用
→係指、確係— formal 'is' — pinned to the fact
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension