happenstance, especially, intentionally, reason, cause, circumstances, the late, therefore, consequently
故 centers on a past cause or reason that leads to a present result: it covers the idea of circumstances, intentionality, and consequently. The sense of 'the late' is a natural extension of something that is past.
故 combines 古 (old) with 攵 (action), suggesting an old cause or reason that leads to a result. The exact historical development is uncertain, but the component relationship is broadly accepted.
The left side 古 means old, and the right side 攵 suggests an action. Think of an old action that becomes the reason for something happening now: the cause is in the past, so 故 is reason or cause.
For コ, imagine a detective saying 'Aha! The cause is an old coin (コイン)!' The coin (コ) is the reason behind the mystery.
why; how; for what reason
accident; incident; trouble
why
fault; trouble; breakdown; failure; being out of order
somehow; for some reason; without knowing why
hometown; birthplace; native place; one's old home
hometown; birthplace; native place; one's old home
the late; the deceased
reason; cause; circumstances; grounds
therefore; consequently
because; the reason is; if you want to know why
intent; intention; bad faith
the deceased; the departed
accidental death
death (of a person)
wastepaper; scrap paper
historical event; ancient event
relation; connection; affinity
one's birthplace
one's native land