直系祖先

• 十(ten; vertical)ASSOCIATIVE
• 目(eye)RADICAL
• 一(one; straight line)ASSOCIATIVE

An eye looking straight down one line without deviation is what makes something upright and straightforward.

• 亻(person; human)RADICAL
• 系(link; bind)PHONO-SEMANTIC

People bound together create a relationship.

• 土(earth; soil; land)ASSOCIATIVE
• 儿(person (variant))RADICAL

A person standing on the ground stepping forward represents going first or before.