TSUMUGU · A1 (est.) · 字
即
即 ＝ 皀 ＋ 卩
ㄐㄧˊ · jí
adv — at once, right away; verb — to draw near
字源 FORM — what the parts do
皀義a bowl heaped with food
卩聲jié — a person kneeling beside it, and the sound
Fjié → jí — the final worn down
A person (卩) kneels right up to a full food bowl (皀) — about to eat, the closest possible approach. 卩 jié also carries the sound, its final worn to jí. From that "right up against it" comes the everyday sense: at once, right now — 立即、即刻.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
飯（皀）一端上來，人（卩）馬上跪到跟前——就吃。
The food (皀) is set down; the figure (卩) drops to its knees right beside it — eating, now.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)就食、靠近— to draw near to food
→立即、即刻— at once, immediately常用
⇒即使、即便— even if — granting the case on the spot
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension