TSUMUGU · C1 (est.) · 字
乞
ㄑㄧˇ · qǐ
verb — to beg, to ask for
字源 FORM — what the parts do
乞形气 (rising vapor) worn down a stroke, the breath of a plea
The graph 气 (rising vapor) with one stroke worn away — what is left, 乞, was borrowed for the breath of a plea: to beg, to ask. From the asking come 乞討 and 乞丐; to plead for mercy is 乞憐, to ask leave to retire is 乞骸骨.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一口氣（气少了一筆）哈出去，化成一聲求告——討一口飯。
A breath (气, one stroke short) goes out as a plea — begging a bite to eat.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)乞討、請求— to beg; to ask for常用
→乞丐、行乞— a beggar; to go begging
⇒乞憐、乞求— to beg for pity; to entreat
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
气qìthe source graph — 气 keeps all its strokes (vapor, air); drops one and takes the begging sense