Kanji

💡 A picture of the sun with a line through it. 日 means sun or day — the sun marks each day.

💡 Two legs of a walking figure. 人 is a person — the simplest picture of someone standing on two legs.

💡 The sun (日) beside a temple measuring the hours. 時 means time or hour.

💡 A crossroads where streets meet — people go in every direction. 行 means to go or to carry out.

💡 An eye (目) on legs, going out to look. 見 means to see or look.

💡 A roof over a table of food. 食 means to eat or food.

💡 People gathering under one roof to meet. 会 means to meet, or an association/company.

💡 An altar (示) beside the earth — a shrine, and by extension a company. 社 means company or shrine.

💡 The sun (日) seen through a gate (門) — the space and interval between. 間 means interval, space, or between.

💡 Rain (雨) with lightning streaking below. 電 means electricity.

💡 A cart seen from above, with axle and wheels. 車 means car or vehicle.

💡 A child (子) under a roof studying. 学 means study or learning.

💡 A young plant sprouting from the soil — new life. 生 means life, birth, or raw.

💡 A stream of water flowing with droplets on each side. 水 means water.

💡 A roof over treasure buried in the earth — precious metal. 金 means gold or money.

💡 A person stretching their arms out as wide as possible. 大 means big.

💡 Three small strokes, like tiny specks. 小 means small.

💡 An axe (斤) cutting a standing tree (立 + 木) to make something fresh. 新 means new.

💡 一 is the picture: a single line, the very first mark. Set it against counting beads above a counting board and the shape carries its meaning, "one", with it.

💡 二 is the picture: two lines laid one above the other. Set it against counting beads above a counting board and the shape carries its meaning, "two", with it.

💡 Break 三 down and you get 一 (one / a line) — a single line, the very first mark. Picture tally marks counted off in groups of five, put 三 inside it, and let that scene stand for "three" — three. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 四 down and you get 囗 (enclosure / border) — a wall drawn right round the outside, and beside it 儿 (legs / person) — two legs walking out from underneath. Picture a perimeter fence enclosing the yard, put 四 inside it, and let that scene stand for "four" — four. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 五 down and you get 二 (two) — two lines laid one above the other. Picture counting beads above a counting board, put 五 inside it, and let that scene stand for "five" — five. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 六 down and you get 亠 (lid / top) — a lid resting on the top, and beside it 八 (eight / split) — two strokes opening away from each other. Picture a building topped with a flat railed terrace, put 六 inside it, and let that scene stand for "six" — six. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 七 down and you get 一 (one / a line) — a single line, the very first mark, and beside it 乙 (bend / second) — a stroke that bends before it finishes. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 七 inside it, and let that scene stand for "seven" — seven. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 八 is the picture: two strokes opening away from each other. Set it against an open ledger book ruled into counted columns and the shape carries its meaning, "eight", with it.

💡 Break 九 down and you get 丿 (sweeping stroke) — a stroke sweeping down to the left, and beside it 乙 (bend / second) — a stroke that bends before it finishes. Picture tally marks counted off in groups of five, put 九 inside it, and let that scene stand for "nine" — nine. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 十 is the picture: two lines crossing at the centre. Set it against tally marks counted off in groups of five and the shape carries its meaning, "ten", with it.

💡 Break 百 down and you get 一 (one / a line) — a single line, the very first mark, and beside it 白 (white / bright) — the first pale light of the sun. Picture an abacus with beads slid along its rods, put 百 inside it, and let that scene stand for "hundred" — hundred. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 千 down and you get 丿 (sweeping stroke) — a stroke sweeping down to the left, and beside it 十 (ten / cross) — two lines crossing at the centre. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 千 inside it, and let that scene stand for "thousand" — thousand. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 万 down and you get 一 (one / a line) — a single line, the very first mark. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 万 inside it, and let that scene stand for "ten thousand" — ten thousand. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 円 down and you get 冂 (enclosure) — an open-bottomed frame around the middle. Picture a wall drawn right around what it holds, put 円 inside it, and let that scene stand for "yen" — yen / circle. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 A crescent moon shape. 月 means moon, and by extension a month — one cycle of the moon.

💡 A figure with sparks flying off to the sides — flames. 火 means fire.

💡 A tree with branches reaching up and roots spreading down. 木 means tree or wood.

💡 A mound of earth pushed up from the ground. 土 means earth or soil.

💡 Break 曜 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture the sun shining in a clear sky, put 曜 inside it, and let that scene stand for "day of the week" — day of the week. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 A tree (木) with a line at its base marking the root — the origin. 本 means origin, root, and also book.

💡 A baby with outstretched arms wrapped up. 子 means child.

💡 A figure of a kneeling woman. 女 means woman.

💡 Power (力) used in the rice field (田) — historically the man's role. 男 means man.

💡 An eye stood on its end, with the pupil lines inside. 目 means eye.

💡 An open square like an open mouth. 口 means mouth or opening.

💡 A hand with fingers and a wrist. 手 means hand.

💡 A knee and foot together. 足 means foot or leg, and also "to be enough."

💡 耳 is the picture: an ear turned towards the sound. Set it against an ear turned towards an incoming sound and the shape carries its meaning, "ear", with it.

💡 A mark sitting above the baseline. 上 means up or above.

💡 A mark hanging below the baseline. 下 means down or below.

💡 A line drawn through the center of a box. 中 means middle or inside.

💡 Break 外 down and you get 夕 (evening) — the thin moon that shows early in the evening, and beside it 卜 (divining / mark) — a mark made to read what it means. Picture the moon in a night sky, put 外 inside it, and let that scene stand for "outside" — outside. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.