次ぐ
つぐ · tsugu · JLPT N3 · verb-godan
to come after
🥈 次 = next, so 次ぐ = to be next in line, ranking just after
The kanji 次 is the same one in 次の (tsugi no, the next one). Add ぐ and it becomes a verb: to come next. Same sound as 継ぐ (tsugu, to succeed someone), and the one who succeeds you is the one who comes after.
次 — 冫 ice + 欠 yawn/lack
Originally depicted a person (欠) sighing or hesitating, with 二 (later written 冫) marking repetition or a secondary position. The core sense developed from 'second in order' or 'next' into related meanings like 'sequence,' 'time/occurrence,' and 'inferior quality.'