Kanji

💡 Break 政 down and you get 正 (correct / just) — a foot stopped square on the line, and beside it 攵 (strike / action) — a hand raised to make something happen. Picture a hand pressing a crooked post until it stands straight, put 政 inside it, and let that scene stand for "politics" — politics / government. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 議 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth, and beside it 義 (righteousness / justice) — a sheep held up as the standard everyone measures fairness against. Picture three equal voices leaning in over a round table with one document laid out between them, put 議 inside it, and let that scene stand for "deliberation" — deliberation. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a single hand cupped sideways as if scooping something up: that is what 連 means — connect / take along. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 車 (vehicle / wheel) — a cart seen from above, axle through the middle, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 対 down and you get 文 (writing / pattern) — marks written across a surface, and beside it 寸 (measure / inch) — a hand measuring a short distance. Picture two identically marked tablets set face to face with the gap between them measured off exactly, put 対 inside it, and let that scene stand for "opposite" — opposite / versus. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a block split cleanly into two halves: that is what 部 means — part / department. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, ⻏ (village / town) — a walled town climbing the slope at the right edge of the character. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 市 down and you get 亠 (lid / top) — a lid resting on the top, and beside it 巾 (cloth) — a cloth hanging down from its rail. Picture a striped cloth awning hung from a bar over a market stall counter stacked with goods, put 市 inside it, and let that scene stand for "city" — city / market. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 内 down and you get 冂 (enclosure) — an open-bottomed frame around the middle, and beside it 人 (person) — a person standing on two legs. Picture a perimeter fence enclosing the yard, put 内 inside it, and let that scene stand for "inside" — inside. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 相 down and you get 木 (tree / wood) — a tree with branches reaching up and roots spreading down, and beside it 目 (eye) — an eye stood on its end, pupil lines inside. Picture a tree with a broad green crown, put 相 inside it, and let that scene stand for "mutual" — mutual / minister. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 定 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 疋 (bolt of cloth) — a length of cloth measured out and left hanging, one bolt full. Picture a peg driven through a marked spot on the floor under a roof, holding it fixed in place, put 定 inside it, and let that scene stand for "determine" — determine / fix. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 選 down and you get 巽 (gentle / compliant) — two matching shapes set side by side, bending the same way in the wind, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture two identical items set out side by side with one of them lifted away along a curving trail, put 選 inside it, and let that scene stand for "choose" — choose. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.