站
zhàn
站: a bus stop and taking sides are the same stance
The picture Two feet planted on the ground, holding one spot. 坐 sets your weight down on your seat; 站 keeps your weight on your feet and holds the spot.
Where the picture shows up in 站
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stand where you're told
请站在黄线后面。
qǐng zhàn zài huáng xiàn hòumiàn
Please stand behind the yellow line.
Two feet planted on the floor behind the yellow line, not moving from that spot.
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stay on your feet
我一天要站八个小时。
wǒ yì tiān yào zhàn bā ge xiǎoshí
I'm on my feet eight hours a day.
Eight hours on the same patch of floor, feet planted, calves going stiff.
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the spot where vehicles stand
下一站是哪儿？
xià yí zhàn shì nǎr
What's the next stop?
The moving bus brings its wheels to rest on one marked spot and stands there.
站 means 'station' because it's where the vehicle plants its feet.
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stand on someone's side
你站在我这边吗？
nǐ zhàn zài wǒ zhè biān ma
Are you on my side?
You walk over to one side of the two of them and plant yourself next to him.
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no footing, so it can't stand
这个理由站不住脚。
zhège lǐyóu zhàn bu zhù jiǎo
That reason doesn't hold up.
With nowhere to put its feet, the argument wobbles and sits down where it stood.
站不住脚 pictures an argument with nowhere to put its feet.
All of it in one picture
站 is two feet planted, holding one spot. Plant them behind the yellow line and you're standing where you were told; keep them planted for eight hours and you're standing your ground. The spot where a bus plants its wheels is why 站 also means station, and planting yourself beside one of two people is taking his side. With no footing at all you get 站不住脚: the argument can't stand and sits down. So every 站 has feet and a spot in it.