TSUMUGU · TOCFL B1 (est.) · 字
躬
ㄍㄨㄥ · gōng
verb/noun — to bow; the body, in person (親躬)
字源 FORM — what the parts do
The body (身) with 弓 gōng for the sound — and a bow (弓) is a thing that bends, just as the body bends to bow: 鞠躬、躬身. The reading is exact, gōng to gōng. 弓 also gives 宮.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
身（身）子彎下，弓（弓）一樣——一個躬就行了禮。
The body (身) bends like the bow (弓) it borrows — one bow, and the courtesy is done.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)身體、躬親— the body; in person常用
→鞠躬、躬身— to bow, bend the body常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension