TSUMUGU · B1 (est.) · 字
隔
隔 ＝ 阝 ＋ 鬲
ㄍㄜˊ · gé
verb — to separate, partition, keep apart; to be at a distance / interval from
字源 FORM — what the parts do
阝義a mound, a wall of earth — the barrier
鬲聲lì — gives the sounda three-legged cauldron, its hollow legs walled off from each other
IFTlì → gé — initial, final and tone all shift
A wall of earth (阝) set between two things — to separate, to partition. 鬲 lì carries the sound, itself a cauldron whose three hollow legs are walled off from one another — separation drawn into the pot. From the earthen barrier: 隔開、隔壁 (next door, one wall away)、隔離 (to isolate)、隔閡 (an estrangement). 鬲 reading drifts far, lì to gé.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一道土牆（阝）立在中間，旁邊一口三腳鬲（鬲）——這邊那邊，分得清清楚楚。
An earthen wall (阝) stands between, a three-legged cauldron (鬲) beside it — this side, that side, kept apart.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)隔開、分隔— to separate, partition常用
→隔壁、相隔— next door; at an interval from常用
⇒隔離、隔閡— to isolate; an estrangement
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
融＝ ＋ 虫róngthe other graph — 融 sets an insect 虫 by the cauldron (to melt, blend), 隔 sets a mound (to separate)膈géthe body-sibling — 膈 puts flesh 月 by (the diaphragm, which walls off the chest); 隔 puts the mound