Kanji

💡 Break 得 down and you get 彳 (step / going) — the left half of a crossroads, where people walk. Picture footprints along a path with a hand reaching down to lift a coin lying on it, put 得 inside it, and let that scene stand for "gain" — gain / obtain. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a cleaver blade cutting straight down through a block: that is what 解 means — solve / untie. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 角 (horn / corner) — a ridged horn, pointed and sharp at the corner where two lines meet. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 交 down and you get 亠 (lid / top) — a lid resting on the top, and beside it 父 (father) — a hand raised to get the work done. Picture rows of curved roof tiles overlapping down from the ridge, put 交 inside it, and let that scene stand for "exchange" — exchange / cross. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a deep overhanging eave carried on two posts with its rafter ends showing: that is what 資 means — resources / capital. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 次 (next / in turn) — a mouth open in a yawn, waiting its turn beside the cold, and beside it 貝 (shell / money) — a shell, the money people once traded with. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 予 down and you get マ (hooked stroke) — a single hook curling forward, reaching ahead of itself, and beside it 了 (complete / finish) — a hooked stroke that stops short, cut off the moment it is done. Picture a calendar with a date circled ahead of today, put 予 inside it, and let that scene stand for "beforehand" — beforehand. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 向 down and you get 丿 (sweeping stroke) — a stroke sweeping down to the left, and beside it 冂 (enclosure) — an open-bottomed frame around the middle. Picture a wall with one square window cut in it and light streaming straight out the way it faces, put 向 inside it, and let that scene stand for "face toward" — face toward / direction. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 際 down and you get ⻖ (hill / mound) — a terraced hill climbing at the left, and beside it 祭 (festival / offering) — a hand setting something out on a raised stand for everyone to see. Picture a terraced hillside, put 際 inside it, and let that scene stand for "occasion" — occasion / edge. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 勝 down and you get 月 (moon / month) — the moon hanging in a clear night sky, and beside it 劵 (ticket / certificate) — a torn ticket stub, one half kept as proof. Picture the moon in a night sky, put 勝 inside it, and let that scene stand for "win" — win. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 面 is the picture: a face framed by its own outline, seen straight on. Set it against a flat mask with two eye holes, held up facing straight ahead and the shape carries its meaning, "face / surface", with it.

💡 Picture a banner unfurled to announce something: that is what 告 means — announce / tell. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 牛 (cow / ox) — an ox with horns above its head, and beside it 口 (mouth / opening) — an open mouth, or any opening. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.