Kanji

💡 Break 妻 down and you get 女 (woman) — a figure kneeling with arms folded. Picture a person bent forward from the waist in a bow, put 妻 inside it, and let that scene stand for "wife" — wife. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 収 down and you get 又 (right hand) — a hand closing round something. Picture a hand raking a scatter of coins into one gathered pile, put 収 inside it, and let that scene stand for "income" — income / collect. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 断 down and you get 斤 (axe / weight) — a tool that splits a block apart. Picture a cleaver blade cutting straight down through a block, put 断 inside it, and let that scene stand for "refuse" — refuse / cut off. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 識 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth, and beside it 戠 (mark / distinguish) — a sound cut sharp and clear enough that everyone recognises it. Picture a megaphone broadcasting sound waves outward, put 識 inside it, and let that scene stand for "knowledge" — knowledge / discriminate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 案 down and you get 安 (peaceful / safe) — a figure settled calm and safe under a steady roof, and beside it 木 (tree / wood) — a tree with branches reaching up and roots spreading down. Picture rows of curved roof tiles overlapping down from the ridge, put 案 inside it, and let that scene stand for "plan" — plan / proposal. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 差 down and you get 羊 (sheep) — a sheep seen head-on, horns curling out. Picture two stalks cut to two clearly different lengths, put 差 inside it, and let that scene stand for "difference" — difference. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 義 down and you get 羊 (sheep) — a sheep seen head-on, horns curling out, and beside it 我 (I / myself) — a hand gripping something close, claimed firmly as one's own. Picture a four-legged animal standing in profile, put 義 inside it, and let that scene stand for "righteousness" — righteousness / meaning. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture an overhanging cliff with shelter beneath it: that is what 険 means — steep / dangerous. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, ⻖ (hill / mound) — a terraced hill climbing at the left, and beside it 㑒 (gathered together) — several small figures huddled close together under one line. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Picture a document marked with an official stamp: that is what 営 means — manage / operate. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 呂 (spine / linked segments) — two matching blocks stacked and linked, one directly under the other. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 迷 down and you get 米 (rice) — grains of rice scattered from the stalk, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a road arching over a bridge across water, put 迷 inside it, and let that scene stand for "be lost" — be lost / hesitate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.