shovel, trough used to carry water
杴 centers on a tool for moving loose material: a shovel, or a trough-like container for carrying water. Both meanings share the idea of a handheld implement for scooping and transporting.
杴 combines 木 (wood) with 欠, which likely contributes a phonetic element. The character likely originally referred to a wooden shovel or trough.
A wooden (木) tool with a missing (欠) part? Imagine a wooden shovel with a hollowed-out section, like a trough, used for scooping and carrying.
For ケン, picture Ken the carpenter using a wooden shovel to dig a trench: Ken -> ケン, and the wooden tool is 杴.