entries → 惜
TSUMUGU · A2 (est.) · 字
惜 character · A2 (est.)
惜 ＝ 忄 ＋ 昔
ㄒㄧ · xī
verb — to cherish, treasure; to regret, to spare

字源 FORM — what the parts do

忄義the heart, set on its side
昔聲xī — gives the soundsun under stacked layers — former days, the past
The heart (忄) on the left, and 昔 xī for the sound — 昔 being former days. A heart turned toward what is past or passing: to hold it dear, and to ache when it slips away. So both to cherish and to regret: 珍惜、可惜、惜別.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

一顆心（忄）牽著往昔（昔），捨不得——惜。
The heart (忄) held to former days (昔), unwilling to let go — to cherish.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)痛惜、可惜— to regret, to feel the loss常用
→珍惜、愛惜— to cherish, to treasure常用
⇒惜別— to part with regret
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
昔xīthe phonetic alone — 昔 is the sun under stacked days (the past); 惜 adds the heart 忄借＝ 亻 ＋ 昔jièsame 昔 series — 借 puts it beside a person (to borrow), 惜 puts it beside the heart