Radical ⼯ (48)

?{佐} *tsˤa[j]s “to assist” ♪→ {左} *tsˤa[j]ʔ “left”

♪𠂇 *TSA[J] (depiction of a left hand for {左} *tsˤa[j]ʔ “left”) + 工 (function unknown, likely a decorative element).

• 林志強 & al. (ed.) 2017 - 《文源》評注 (270-271)
• 徐超 2022 - 古漢字通解500例 (278)

Early W.Zhou	Early W.Zhou	Middle W.Zhou	Middle W.Zhou	Qin	Han	E.Han	Nanbei (N.Qi)
集2170 [𭑌]	集893 [𭑌]	集2831 [𭑌]	集9456 [𭑌]	陶錄6.329.4	敦238A	文物2002.12	南0545X

{矩} *kʷ(r)aʔ “carpenter’s square” ♪→ {巨} *ɡ(r)aʔ “gigantic”

Depiction of a person (大/夫) holding a carpenter’s square. Later shortens to a form without the person.

• 季旭昇 2014 - 說文新證 [2nd ed.] (382-383)