1. second
2. times, order
3. inferior
4. remain
5. stand.

HSK – 2

STROKES – 6

RADICAL – 冫

Elements  —-  two 二  + open mouth 欠. Phonetic series 次.

This is two 二 breaths (or two sneezes) with an open mouth 欠, emphasizing the second one. Second > secondary > times > order > arrange > arrange hair (of woman). It is also the modern form of an OBC that showed a military encampment > place > remain > stand.

其次    qícì – next; second.

次序    cìxù – order, sequence (order + order)

Two breaths to mean second, for the second breath. First and second give the idea of counting > order. It also give the meaning of times, once, twice….

From second we have also the idea of something of second category, then inferior. Something of inferior category remains in a place, nobody want to take it. From remain > stand (a person who remains). Stand is rarely used but important to understand other characters of this family.