TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
答
ㄉㄚˊ · dá
verb — to answer, reply; to repay
字源 FORM — what the parts do
IThé → dá — the onset shifts to d-, tone to the second
Bamboo (竹) over 合, with 合 doing double duty — it gives the sound, drifted from hé to dá, and the sense of two things meeting, fitting. The graph carries two tellings: 說文 reads its older form 荅 as a small bean plant (小尗，从艸合聲), the bean-name later borrowed for the reply; or, reading the modern shape straight, a reply written on bamboo slips (竹) that matches (合) what was asked — answer fitting question. Either way it lands on the answer: to answer (回答), then to repay in kind (報答、答謝). 合 heads a sound family: 給、塔、盒、拾.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
接過竹簡（竹）上的問話，提筆寫下對得上的一句（合）——這就是答。
Take the question on its bamboo slip (竹), write back the line that fits (合) — that's an answer.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)回答、答覆— to answer, reply常用
→對答、答案— to respond in kind; an answer
⇒報答、答謝— to repay, requite
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension