TSUMUGU · B1 (est.) · 字
債
債 ＝ 亻 ＋ 責
ㄓㄞˋ · zhài
noun — a debt; what is owed
字源 FORM — what the parts do
亻義a person, the one who owes
ITzé → zhài — initial and tone moved off the donor
A person (亻) and 責, to demand, to call to account — 責 carries the sound zé, worn to zhài, and its meaning runs through: the person who is held to account for what is owed. A debt. From there: 債務 a debt, 欠債 to owe, 還債 to repay, 債主 the creditor. 責 is dual-role — sound and the calling-to-account.
意 · Meanings
(本義)債、債務— a debt常用
→欠債、還債— to owe; to repay a debt常用
→債主— the creditor
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension