Kanji

💡 Break 調 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth, and beside it 周 (all around / circuit) — a plot of land walled in on every side, the boundary running the whole way round. Picture a ring of even marks with a line of questioning travelling the whole way round it, put 調 inside it, and let that scene stand for "investigate" — investigate / tone. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 化 down and you get 亻 (person) — a person standing at the left of the scene, and beside it 匕 (spoon / change) — a spoon turned over to tip out what it holds. Picture a ladle flipping upside down and tipping out what it held, beside a standing figure, put 化 inside it, and let that scene stand for "change" — change / -ization. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 当 down and you get ⺌ (small) — three little strokes, small things scattered, and beside it ⺕ (hand) — a hand gripping from above. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 当 inside it, and let that scene stand for "hit" — hit / appropriate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 約 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool, and beside it 勺 (ladle / small measure) — a small ladle curved round a single drop it just scooped up. Picture thread wound onto a spool, put 約 inside it, and let that scene stand for "promise" — promise / approximately. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 性 down and you get 忄 (heart / feeling) — a heart standing upright at the left, and beside it 生 (live / grow) — a shoot breaking the surface. Picture a heart, standing for how something feels, put 性 inside it, and let that scene stand for "nature" — nature / gender. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 的 down and you get 白 (white / bright) — the first pale light of the sun, and beside it 勺 (ladle / small measure) — a small ladle curved round a single drop it just scooped up. Picture an arrow striking the white centre of a target, put 的 inside it, and let that scene stand for "target" — target / -like. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 要 down and you get 覀 (west / cover) — an upturned basket sitting low, like the sun settling in the west, and beside it 女 (woman) — a figure kneeling with arms folded. Picture two hands holding the belt at the waist, the one part that must not let go, put 要 inside it, and let that scene stand for "need" — need / essential. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 制 down and you get 刂 (divide / cut) — a straight cut down the right-hand side. Picture a block split cleanly into two halves, put 制 inside it, and let that scene stand for "system" — system / control. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 治 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge, and beside it 台 (stand / platform) — a raised block to set things on. Picture a raised stone platform standing in flowing water, steering the current around it, put 治 inside it, and let that scene stand for "govern" — govern / cure. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 務 down and you get 矛 (long shaft / pole) — a long wooden pole with a curved hook near the top, gripped and held upright for work. Picture a long-shafted broom gripped in both hands and driven forward under effort, put 務 inside it, and let that scene stand for "duty" — duty / work. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.