Zi:必

必 [bì] (必​须) must, 必​然 inevitable/certain; necessity; ​不必 needn't; (HDZ:) …

One monosyllabic entry in The ABC Chinese-English Comprehensive Dictionary (namespace Ci):

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The character 必 (5 strokes) seems to combine a shape like ​心 (4 strokes) with an additional stroke (​丿), but ​心 is not a traditional component of 必.
    Note: In the modern form 必 bì ‘must’ the stroke ​丿 through the ​心 heart suggests ‘necessity’, as in Eng. “cross my heart and hope to die (solemn promise)”; but ​心 xīn ‘heart’ is not a traditional component of 必; in the modern form 必, the first and last strokes (​丶) correspond to ​八 in the Seal, and the other strokes correspond to ​弋 (​㇂→​乚).
    The Shuōwén Seal form of 必 bì ‘must’ combines ​弋 yì ‘peg/post’ (tree stump; boundary marker; hitching/etc. post), and ​八 bā ‘eight’ (phonosemantic).
    Note: In the SW gloss “​分​極” explains the component ​八 as in ​分 fēn ‘divide/distinguish’ (​分​别), a narrow window of opportunity (​八 and 必 are said to have been old homophones, and even in MC they were similar); for the component ​弋, cf. ​杙 yì ‘peg/post; tree stump/target’, ​隿; in the SW gloss ​極 ‘ridgepole’ signifies a high mark/target, difficult but necessary to hit; or it signifies the gnomon of a sundial, precisely marking the inevitable flow of time; and by extension, meanings such as 必 bì ‘must’, 必​然 bìrán ‘necessary/inevitable’ (DYC).
    Compare: 必 bì ← MC /piet/; ​分 fēn/fèn ← MC /pjuən/bjuəns/ (SBGY).
    Compare: ​𥁑 mì ‘wipe/clean (vessels/dishes)’; after the meal one is full/tired, but must wash the dishes (sigh).
    Compare: ​宓 mì ‘peaceful/quiet/still’, later wr. ​密; ​密 mì ‘gentle mountain slope; precise/close/dense’.
    Compare: ​谧/​謐 mì ‘peaceful/calm speech/chat; silent/quiet’ (one speaks freely among intimates, and must keep confidences/secrets).
    Compare: ​秘(​祕) bì/mì ‘mysterious’; ​秘​密 mìmì ‘secret’.
    Compare: ​蜜(​𧖅) mì ‘honey’; ​蜜​月 ‘honey moon’, ​密​亲 ‘close/intimate relatives’.
    “[必] From ​弋 (arrow used as) tally, signific and ​八 bā phonetic” —Karlgren(AD).
    Older graphs associated with 必 are said to be early forms of ​柲 bì ‘laminated handle of a weapon’, in which the component ​八 represents holes for lashing the handle to the weapon (HDZ).
    Compare: ​八 bā, ​分 fēn, ​釆 biàn, ​畢 bì, ​柲 bì.
    HDZ: 必 : bì : ​标​杆, ​标​准 (​樹​臬​则​介/​界​分 (​界​分: ​境​界, ​地​界)); (​古) ​柲 (​八​代​表​戈​矛​等​的​穿​孔, ​用​以​固​定​于​柄​上, ​抽​象​化​为必​定​的必); ​肯​定, ​确​定; ​坚​决, ​坚​定; ​保​证, ​确​保; ​信​赖, ​讲​信​用; ​坚​持​己​见, ​固​执; (​副​词) (​一​定, 必​然; 必​须, 必​要); (​连​词) ​假​使, ​如​果; ​系​圭​玉​的​丝​带; ​戒​敕; ​畢: ​全, ​尽; (​姓)
►references: Guǎngyùn:470.56; Wieger:18g; Karlgren:AD682,717,GSR405a; Hànyǔ Dà Zìdiǎn:4.2267.2; Mathews:5109; Kāngxī Zìdiǎn:375.02; Bǐshùn Guīfàn:020.0.06; Wáng(1993):149; EDOC:1
►components: ​心​丿​​弋​八
►Cantonese: bit\
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Unicode: U+5FC5
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