TSUMUGU · TOCFL C1 (est.) · 字
芽
芽 ＝ 艸 ＋ 牙
ㄧㄚˊ · yá
noun — a sprout, a bud
字源 FORM — what the parts do
艸義grass (艸) — the plant radical, written 艹
Grass (艸, written 艹) marks a plant; 牙 yá carries the sound straight across — and its tooth-shape suits the hard little point that breaks the soil. Together they write the sprout: 發芽, 萌芽.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一粒種子破土，頂出一個牙（牙）尖的綠芽（艹）。
A seed splits the soil, pushing up a tooth-sharp (牙) green sprout (艹).
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)芽— a sprout, a bud常用
→發芽、萌芽— to germinate; to bud — and figuratively, to begin
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension