Kanji

💡 Break 迎 down and you get ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a road disappearing through a tunnel cut into a hillside, put 迎 inside it, and let that scene stand for "welcome" — welcome. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 越 down and you get 走 (run) — someone running along the road. Picture a crossroads with a person walking through it and a signboard at the corner, put 越 inside it, and let that scene stand for "cross over" — cross over / exceed. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 述 down and you get ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a milestone post standing beside the road, put 述 inside it, and let that scene stand for "state" — state / describe. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture two speech bubbles overlapping in a conversation: that is what 辞 means — resign / word. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 舌 (tongue) — a tongue moving inside an open mouth, and beside it 辛 (bitter / spicy) — a blade point balanced upright, sharp enough to sting the tongue. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 遊 down and you get ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a milestone post standing beside the road, put 遊 inside it, and let that scene stand for "play" — play. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 泣 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge, and beside it 立 (stand) — a person standing firmly on the ground. Picture a drop of water above rippling waves, put 泣 inside it, and let that scene stand for "cry" — cry. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 笑 down and you get 竹 (bamboo) — two bamboo stalks with their leaves. Picture two bamboo stalks with their segments, put 笑 inside it, and let that scene stand for "laugh" — laugh. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 怒 down and you get 心 (heart / feeling) — a heart, the seat of how you feel. Picture a heart, standing for how something feels, put 怒 inside it, and let that scene stand for "get angry" — get angry. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 悲 down and you get 非 (wrong / not) — two wings spread apart, feathers pointing in opposite directions, and beside it 心 (heart / feeling) — a heart, the seat of how you feel. Picture a heart-shaped lantern glowing on its string, put 悲 inside it, and let that scene stand for "sad" — sad. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a heart-shaped lantern glowing on its string: that is what 喜 means — rejoice. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 吉 (good luck) — a confident stance held right over an open, smiling mouth. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.