棟 (dòng) — ridgepole, main beam; (measure) a building

entries → 棟

TSUMUGU · B2 (est.) · 字

棟 character · B2 (est.)

棟＝木＋東

ㄉㄨㄥˋ · dòng

noun — ridgepole, main beam; (measure) a building

字源 FORM — what the parts do

木義wood, timber

東聲dōng — gives the sound

Tdōng → dòng

Wood (木) with 東 — the ridgepole, the topmost beam holding the roof. 東 dōng carries the sound, the tone tipped to dòng. The beam that bears the whole roof, then by figure the man who bears the state: 棟梁、棟樑之材.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

整座屋頂的重量，全壓在最高那根橫木（木）上——那是棟。

The whole roof's weight rides on the single highest timber (木) — that is the ridgepole.

字源記憶法

意 · Meanings

(本義)棟梁— ridgepole, main beam常用

→棟樑之材— a pillar of the state

⇒一棟樓— a building (as a measure word)

(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension