TSUMUGU · TOCFL A2 (est.) · 字
監
監 ＝ 臥 ＋ 皿
ㄐㄧㄢ · jiān/jiàn
verb/noun — (jiān) to watch over, oversee; (jiàn) office, prison
字源 FORM — what the parts do
皿義a basin of water — the early mirror
A person bends over (臥), eye (臣) lowered to a basin (皿) of water and watches the reflection there. From looking down into the bowl came watching over, overseeing — and the place where men are watched, the prison.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
那人俯身（臥），眼睛（臣）湊近水盤（皿），盯著水面。
The man bends low (臥), his eye (臣) close to the water-basin (皿), watching the surface.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
jiān
(本義)監看、監督— to watch over, oversee常用
→監視、監考— to keep watch on
jiàn
(引申)監獄— prison — where men are watched常用
→太監、國子監— office, official post
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
鑑jiànthe same eye-over-basin made a metal mirror — 鑑 adds 金, 監 keeps the water覽＝ 見 ＋ lǎnshares the watching eye () over 見 — to look broadly