TSUMUGU · TOCFL 1 (est.) · 字
得
ㄉㄜˊ · dé/de/děi
verb — to get, obtain; (de) verb-complement link; (děi) must
字源 FORM — what the parts do
彳義a step — the road half of 行
A hand (寸) closes on a cowrie (貝, worn to the 旦-shape) by the roadside (彳) — to get. The full verb is dé: 得到、取得. Said light it is the de of 跑得快, the link between a verb and how it goes; said hard it is děi — 我得走了, have to.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
路上（彳）一低頭，一枚貝殼亮亮的，手（寸）一合——得了。
Eyes down on the road (彳), one cowrie shining; the hand (寸) closes — got it.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
dé
(本義)得到、取得— to get, obtain常用
→得意— having gotten one's wish — pleased
de
(引申)跑得快、聽得懂— the weightless link between verb and outcome常用
děi
(引申)得走了、得加油— must, have to常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension