entries → 笨
TSUMUGU · TOCFL 2 (est.) · 字
笨 character · TOCFL 2 (est.)
笨 ＝ 竹 ＋ 本
ㄅㄣˋ · bèn
adj — stupid, clumsy, dull

字源 FORM — what the parts do

竹義bamboothe bamboo on top
本聲běn — gives the soundthe 本 series; the tree's root mark below
Tběn → bèn — the rising tone falls to the fourth
The white inner lining of bamboo (竹) — 竹裏, the soft pith under the hard skin. 本 gives the sound, the tone fallen from běn to bèn. From that crude unworked pith the sense turned: coarse, then dull and clumsy (笨拙), then plain stupid (笨蛋).

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

削開竹（竹）皮，露出本（本）色的白瓤——粗粗一團，笨。
Peel the bamboo (竹) skin and the plain (本) white pith shows — a coarse, clumsy mass.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)竹裏— the white inner lining of bamboo
→笨拙、粗笨— clumsy, coarse
⇒愚笨、笨蛋— stupid, dull常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
本běnthe phonetic, standing alone — a tree's root; 笨 caps it with bamboo 竹苯běnthe same 本 sound — a plant 艹 on top instead, benzene