キュウ, ふる.い, もと

old times, old things, old friend, former, ex-

JLPT2 G5 S5 F549

萑 is 隹 short, squat bird + 艸 grass/plant (here acting as a shape indicator, suggesting the curvature of a pair of ears) → horned owl. adds # (stooped) → owl (← bird of a stooped appearance) → *bent with rot* (compare ) → *old*; *former* → *old friend*.

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