once, before, formerly, ever, never, ex-
曾 centers on a past time or prior state: something that happened once, before, or formerly. It can also mark a former role (ex-), and in negative contexts it means never having done something.
The historical origin of 曾 is uncertain. It may have originally depicted a steaming vessel or a layered structure, but the modern form does not clearly reflect a single pictographic source. The character is used for its sound and abstract temporal meanings.
The top 丷 looks like two marks of the past, and the lower part resembles a boxed container of memories. Picture opening a box labeled 'once' and finding old photos inside: 曾 means once, before, or formerly.
For ソウ, imagine a soul (ソウ) remembering a past life: the soul once lived before, and ソウ cues the reading.
great (i.e. great-grandson, great-grandmother)
unprecedented; unheard-of; record-breaking
great-grandmother; great-grandma
incense variety used in kōdō (orig. from India)
great-grandfather
great-grandmother
Soga school of Japanese painting
former visit