TSUMUGU · TOCFL B1 (est.) · 字
裁
裁 ＝ 𢦏 ＋ 衣
ㄘㄞˊ · cái
verb — to cut (cloth); to judge, decide; to cut back
字源 FORM — what the parts do
𢦏聲zāi — gives the sounda halberd (戈) over the old mark, the series in 載栽戴
{z,c}Izāi → cái — the {z,c} crossing
𢦏 zāi wraps the frame for the sound — the same series in 載、栽、戴 — with 衣 the cloth inside. To take a blade to cloth and shape it: 裁剪. From cutting to deciding: 裁判、裁員.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
一塊布（衣）攤平，刀（𢦏）順著線一裁——衣形就出來了。
The cloth (衣) laid flat, the blade (𢦏) running the line — and the shape of a garment falls out.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)裁衣、裁剪— to cut and tailor cloth常用
→裁縫— to sew, a tailor常用
⇒裁判、裁決— to judge, rule on常用
⇒裁員、裁減— to cut staff; reduce常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension