TSUMUGU · TOCFL 5 (est.) · 字
挫
挫 ＝ 扌 ＋ 坐
ㄘㄨㄛˋ · cuò
verb — to crush, beat back; to frustrate, set back
字源 FORM — what the parts do
扌義the hand
{z,c,s}ITzuò → cuò — the {z,c,s} crossing, z to c
The hand (扌) presses a thing down till it gives — to crush, to blunt. 坐 zuò carries the sound, z crossed to c within {z,c,s}. From being pressed down: 挫折、挫敗、頓挫.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一股勁衝上來，手（扌）往下一壓，逼它坐（坐）回去——挫住了。
The drive surges up; the hand (扌) presses down and forces it to sit (坐) back — beaten down.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)壓挫、摧折— to crush, beat down
→挫折、挫敗— setback; to frustrate常用
⇒頓挫、挫銳— to blunt, check the edge of
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension