TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
少
少 ＝ 小 ＋ 丿
ㄕㄠˇ · shǎo/shào
adj — few, little; (shào) young
字源 FORM — what the parts do
丿形the stroke that splits few from small
Grains of sand. 小 is three of them; 少 takes one more stroke (丿) and takes few for its share. Read shǎo it counts what is scarce — 很少、多少; read shào it names the young — 少年, the years still few.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
手一張開，沙（小）從指縫漏下去——剩下的不多了。
The hand opens; the sand (小) runs out between the fingers — little left.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
shǎo
(本義)很少、多少— few, little常用
→缺少— to lack — too few
shào
(引申)少年、少女— young — the years still few常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension