TSUMUGU · TOCFL B2 (est.) · 字
勤
勤 ＝ 力 ＋ 堇
ㄑㄧㄣˊ · qín
adj — diligent, hardworking; adv — frequently
字源 FORM — what the parts do
堇聲jǐn — gives the soundyellow clay, sticky earth worked hard
Tjǐn → qín — the donor's falling-rising tone went to the rising in 勤
Strength (力) is the meaning — labor, effort put in. 堇 jǐn carries the sound. From hard toil came the praise word for it: putting in the work without let-up — 勤奮、勤勞, then doing a thing often and faithfully — 勤快、殷勤.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
出盡力氣（力）幹活，一刻不歇——這人就叫勤。
Pouring out strength (力) at the work without a pause — that one is called diligent.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)勤勞、勤奮— diligent, hardworking常用
→勤快、勤勉— industrious, working hard
⇒勤、殷勤— frequent, attentive
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension