TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
你
你 ＝ 亻 ＋ 尔
ㄋㄧˇ · nǐ
pron — you
字源 FORM — what the parts do
亻義a person — the one facing you
尔聲the classical you (爾), worn small
IFěr → nǐ — 你 keeps the old n- that 爾 itself wore away
The classical you, 爾, worn down to 尔, with a person mark (亻) set beside it for the everyday word. The reading keeps the old n- that 爾 itself has since lost.
意 · Meanings
(本義)你——第二人稱— you — the one spoken to常用
→泛指——你一言我一語— generic you — anyone at all
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension