TSUMUGU · TOCFL A2 (est.) · 字
勵
ㄌㄧˋ · lì
verb — to urge on, encourage, spur (oneself or another) to effort
字源 FORM — what the parts do
Effort (力) honed against a whetstone — to spur, to urge on. 厲 lì carries the sound. Grind yourself sharp and push: 勉勵、鼓勵、激勵.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
刀在磨石（厲）上來回，越磨越亮——使出全力（力），不肯停。
The blade runs back and forth on the whetstone (厲), brighter each pass — strength (力) spent and unwilling to stop.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)勉力— to exert, drive oneself
→鼓勵、激勵— to encourage, spur on常用
⇒勉勵、勵志— to urge to effort, steel the will
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension