TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
士
ㄕˋ · shì
noun — scholar, gentleman; officer; a person of a calling (護士)
字源 FORM — what the parts do
One (一) at the foot, ten (十) above: 說文 reads it as one who can take ten things and bind them back to one — 推十合一為士 — mastery from start to finish. That figure is the 士: first the scholar and gentleman (士人、紳士), then the officer and knight (武士、騎士), and in modern words anyone holding a trained calling (護士、博士).
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
上一橫管十（十），下一橫收回一（一）——從一到十都拿得住的，是士。
The top bar spans ten (十), the bottom draws it back to one (一) — who holds it all from one to ten is 士.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)士人、紳士— scholar, gentleman常用
→武士、騎士— warrior, knight; officer
⇒護士、博士— a trained calling (nurse, doctorate)常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension