Kanji

💡 Break 階 down and you get ⻖ (hill / mound) — a terraced hill climbing at the left. Picture a terraced hillside, put 階 inside it, and let that scene stand for "floor" — floor / stairs. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 速 down and you get 束 (bundle / bind) — branches tied at the middle, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a pedestrian crossing marked with painted stripes, put 速 inside it, and let that scene stand for "fast" — fast. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 遅 down and you get ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a road arching over a bridge across water, put 遅 inside it, and let that scene stand for "late" — late / slow. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 静 down and you get 青 (blue / green) — the clear blue of water and sky, and beside it 争 (dispute / compete) — two hands pulling hard on the same thing from opposite ends. Picture a drop of water above rippling waves, put 静 inside it, and let that scene stand for "quiet" — quiet. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 騒 down and you get 馬 (horse) — a horse with its mane and four legs. Picture a horse standing in profile, put 騒 inside it, and let that scene stand for "make noise" — make noise. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture an overhanging cliff with shelter beneath it: that is what 危 means — dangerous. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 𠂊 (claw / grasping hand) — a hooked stroke curling down like a claw reaching for something below. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 存 down and you get 子 (child) — a small child with arms held out. Picture a small child standing beside a ball, put 存 inside it, and let that scene stand for "exist" — exist. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 互 down and you get 二 (two) — two lines laid one above the other, and beside it 彑 (snout) — a pointed snout hooking down and back on itself. Picture an abacus with beads slid along its rods, put 互 inside it, and let that scene stand for "mutual" — mutual. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 更 down and you get 一 (one / a line) — a single line, the very first mark, and beside it 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture counting beads above a counting board, put 更 inside it, and let that scene stand for "further" — further / renew. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 寄 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house. Picture rows of curved roof tiles overlapping down from the ridge, put 寄 inside it, and let that scene stand for "approach" — approach / donate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.