TSUMUGU · B2 (est.) · 字
陡
陡 ＝ 阜 ＋ 走
ㄉㄡˇ · dǒu
adj — steep, precipitous; adv — abruptly, suddenly
字源 FORM — what the parts do
阜義a mound, a slopewritten 阝 on the left
{z,c,s→d}ITzǒu → dǒu — the initial shifts off z to d, the tone falls
A mound (阜, 阝 on the left) that drops away sharply — steep. 走 zǒu carries the sound, the initial moving from z to d. From a slope too sharp to walk: 陡坡, 陡峭; and the sudden drop gives 陡然 — abruptly.
故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by
阜（阝）邊一站，坡幾乎直直插下去——腳都站不穩。
You stand at the mound's edge (阝); the slope plunges nearly straight down — your feet can't hold.
字源記憶法
意 · Meanings
(本義)陡峭、陡坡— steep, precipitous常用
→陡然— abruptly, suddenly — a sharp drop in time常用
(本義) original meaning · → ⇒ each arrow = one more step of extension
關 · Related
陟zhìboth stack with a foot, but 陟 climbs with 步 (two feet going up) while 陡 stands at the steep edge with