TSUMUGU · B1 (est.) · 字
煎
ㄐㄧㄢ · jiān
verb — to pan-fry (in shallow oil); to decoct (simmer down)
字源 FORM — what the parts do
{j,q,x}Iqián → jiān — the {j,q,x} family shuffles the initial
Fire (灬) under the pan; 前 qián on top for the sound, the initial slid from q to j. Low fire, a little oil, and time — to fry, to simmer a brew down: 煎蛋、煎藥. The slow cooking turns figurative too — 煎熬, drawn-out suffering.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
鍋底架在火（灬）上，油一層，東西貼著慢慢煎到兩面黃。
The pan over the fire (灬), a film of oil — the food pressed down and fried slowly gold on both sides.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)煎、熬— to pan-fry; to simmer down常用
→煎藥— to decoct medicine
⇒煎熬— to suffer through — slow torment常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension