TSUMUGU · TOCFL A2 (est.) · 字
牽
ㄑㄧㄢ · qiān
verb — to pull, lead by a rope; to drag in, involve
字源 FORM — what the parts do
玄聲xuán — gives the soundthe x worn across to q
{ɕ,tɕ}IFTxuán → qiān — palatal initial slides, the final and tone shift with it (弦 xián keeps it closer)
冖義the halter looped over — the cord that leads the ox
An ox (牛) led on a rope — the halter (冖) loops over its neck and a hand draws it forward. 玄 xuán carries the sound, worn from x to q. From leading the beast: 牽手, and the dragging-in of 牽連, 牽涉.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一手拉緊韁繩（冖），牛（牛）只好跟著走——牽。
One hand pulls the halter (冖) taut and the ox (牛) has no choice but to follow — led on the rope.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)引、拉— to pull, lead by a rope常用
→牽手、牽引— to lead by the hand; to tow常用
⇒牽連、牽涉— to drag in, implicate
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
弦xiánthe same donor — a bow 弓 where 牽 takes the ox 玄xuánthe phonetic alone — 牽 sets the ox below the looped cord