除
chú · HSK 6
except
➖ 除 = 阝(mound) + 余 (surplus) — clear surplus off the mound, leaving none except
Originally meant steps of a palace; the 阝 radical is a mound/staircase and 余 carries the sound. Semantic drift: removing/clearing steps → 'remove, except'. Common in 除了 (chúle, except for) and 除法 (division).
除 — left ear/mound 阝 + surplus 余
除 combines the 'mound/steps' radical 阝 (originally 阜, a hill) with 余 as the phonetic. It first meant the steps of a palace, then extended to 'remove' or 'clear away' (as one sweeps steps clean), and later to mathematical 'divide.'