TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
季
季 ＝ 禾 ＋ 子
ㄐㄧˋ · jì
noun — season; a quarter; the youngest
字源 FORM — what the parts do
禾義grain, a stalk of millet
Grain (禾) over a child (子): the young grain, the smallest. From smallest came the youngest of a set, and the three-month span a crop needs to ripen — the season: 季節, 春季.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一株穀子（禾）剛抽出小穗（子），嫩得發青——這一季的頭。
A grain stalk (禾) just pushing out a small young head (子), still green — the head of this season.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)最小、排行最小— youngest, smallest
→季節、春季— season常用
⇒季度、第二季— quarter (of a year)
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension