TSUMUGU · TOCFL B2 (est.) · 字
嬰
嬰 ＝ 賏 ＋ 女
ㄧㄥ · yīng
noun — an infant, newborn baby
字源 FORM — what the parts do
賏聲yīng — gives the soundtwo strung shells (貝貝) — a necklace, a neck-ring
The old word was a string of shells worn at the neck — 賏 yīng, two cowries (貝貝), carries that sound and picture. Borrowed for the newborn carried on the body like a thing hung at the breast: 嬰兒、女嬰. 賏 sits across the top; the 女 below is the little one.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一串貝殼（賏）掛在頸上，底下抱著一個剛出生的小娃（女）。
A string of shells (賏) hangs at the neck, and below it a newborn (女) is held close.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)嬰兒、女嬰— an infant, baby常用
→嬰孩— a babe in arms
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
纓yīngshares — a tassel/cord, the same strung-shell sound with silk (糸)孩háithe partner sense — a child past infancy, where 嬰 is the newborn