TSUMUGU · TOCFL 3 (est.) · 字
基
ㄐㄧ · jī
noun — base, foundation
字源 FORM — what the parts do
{j,q,x}ITqí → jī — the {j,q,x} crossing; tone shifts too
Earth (土) tamped for the first course — where the wall starts. 其 qí carries the sound, worn from q to j. From the wall's footing, everything built on first: 基礎、基本、基地.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
溝挖好，土（土）一層夯過一層——第一道牆腳起來了。
The trench dug, earth (土) tamped layer over layer — the first footing rises.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)牆腳— the footing of a wall
→基礎、基本— basis — what the rest stands on常用
⇒基地— a base — ground to build from
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension