TSUMUGU · TOCFL 6 (est.) · 字
歎
歎 ＝ 𦰩 ＋ 欠
ㄊㄢˋ · tàn
verb — to sigh; to lament; to exclaim in praise
字源 FORM — what the parts do
𦰩聲難 (nán) with its 隹 dropped — the abbreviated sound donor (難省聲)the left stack is 難 minus its bird 隹; the student sees 𦰩, the sound is 難's
IT≠難 nán → 歎 tàn — an abbreviated phonetic (難省聲) whose onset hardens n- to t-
欠 (an open mouth breathing out) beside 𦰩, the body of 難 (nán) with its bird 隹 dropped, lent for the sound — 說文 reads it 吟, to sigh out. The breath that escapes a heavy heart: 歎息, 感歎; raised in wonder it is 讚歎, to marvel. Its 口-mouthed twin 嘆 says nearly the same.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
張開嘴（欠），一口長氣慢慢吐出來——歎了一聲。
The mouth opens (欠), and a long breath goes slowly out — a sigh, 歎.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)歎息、歎氣— to sigh常用
→感歎、悲歎— to lament, sigh over
→讚歎— to exclaim in praise, marvel
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension