TSUMUGU · A2 (est.) · 字
李
ㄌㄧˇ · lǐ
noun — plum (tree and fruit); a surname
字源 FORM — what the parts do
ITzǐ → lǐ — initial and tone both shifted
A tree (木) over 子 — the plum tree, its fruit 李子. 子 zǐ gives the sound, worn to lǐ; the tree-and-child also reads as a child on the tree, the plums it bears. As a surname it became one of the most common in the language.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
樹（木）上掛著一顆顆果子（子）——李子熟了。
On the tree (木) hang the round fruits (子) — the plums are ripe.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)李子、李樹— plum, plum tree常用
→李— Li (surname)常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
杏xìngthe orchard neighbor — 杏 puts 口 under (apricot); 李 puts there (plum)