Can anyone suggest glyph origin of 施? Does anyone has a good model of the origin of 施?
As far as I know the common ground in deciphering this character is:

On the left - flag pole.
On top  - flag cloth.
On the right-bottom - snake or, in unconventional reading, character representing &quot;being low on the ground&quot;.

The problem with this decoding is that it does not explain all the usage of 施.
If the &quot;Flag spreading on the ground like a snake&quot; can explain

&quot;to spread&quot; a life form or plant, 施于中谷

&quot;to last&quot; (in time or space). 鳥獸安施
but the same etymology model can't explain

&quot;to donate&quot; - 冬天施粥, 夏天施茶

&quot;to give&quot; - 施綿衣

&quot;to use&quot; - 無計可施

&quot;to teach&quot; - 施之為孫

or, my favorite: 殺而施之 - &quot;to execute and to show a body of a criminal to the public&quot; (makes you doubt the correctness of the whole &quot;flag+snake&quot; model.
well, according to 說文解字, 施(u+65bd)﹒从㫃﹒也聲, it should be "chopped" into 㫃(u+3ac3) &amp; 也(u+4e5f).

㫃 is a main component of oracle bone script.

so, 施 is a 形聲字 (Phono-semantic compound character), to decipher the meaning, i would suggest starting from 㫃, which is 旗在竿上飄游之形 (roughly, a flag flying on a pole).



amongst usages listed, my opinions:

殺而施之, 施 is "exhibit the corpse".

施之為孫, well, this one, do you mean the verse of 禮記﹒學記 "不陵節而施之謂孫".

if yes, 施 is "carry out" teaching, or make it simpler, "teach".

have fun :)

ps: may i ask why &amp; how do you choose these usages of 施?