髓 (suǐ) — marrow; the core, essence (精髓)

entries → 髓

TSUMUGU · TOCFL B2 (est.) · 字

髓 character · TOCFL B2 (est.)

髓＝骨＋隨

ㄙㄨㄟˇ · suǐ

noun — marrow; the core, essence (精髓)

字源 FORM — what the parts do

骨義bone

隨聲suí — gives the sound, written shortthe walking-辶 side is trimmed away, leaving 𢞵

Tsuí → suǐ — same sound, tone falls

Bone (骨) and the sound 隨 suí written short on the right — the fat inside the bone, marrow. 說文 calls it 骨中脂也. From the marrow at the bone's center comes the figurative core: 精髓.

故事 STORY — a scene to remember it by

把骨頭（骨）一折——裡頭最深的那點，是髓。

Snap the bone (骨) open — the deepest part inside is the marrow.

字源記憶法

意 · Meanings

(本義)骨髓— bone marrow常用

→精髓— the core, the essence

⇒木髓— pith (of a plant)

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