TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
德
ㄉㄜˊ · dé
noun — virtue, moral character; kindness
字源 FORM — what the parts do
彳義a step, a road
悳聲dé — gives the soundthe inner block 直+心 read together, the 㥁聲 of 說文; worn into the right side
Three parts. A road (彳) to walk; a straight eye (直, its top worn to 十) looking dead ahead; a heart (心) below. To go down the road with eye straight and heart straight — that is virtue, the upright way a person carries themselves: 道德、品德. From an upright act done for others came kindness owed back: 恩德.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
走在路上（彳），眼睛直視（直），心也擺正（心）——這樣立身就是德。
Out on the road (彳), eye looking straight (直), heart set true (心) — to carry oneself this way is virtue.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)道德、品德— virtue, moral character常用
→德行— conduct, moral bearing
⇒恩德— kindness, favor owed back
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension