Kanji

💡 Break 昨 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day, and beside it 乍 (suddenly / make) — a jagged stroke stopped mid-line, work broken off in a sudden burst. Picture the sun shining in a clear sky, put 昨 inside it, and let that scene stand for "yesterday" — yesterday / last. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 皿 is the picture: a dish standing on the table. Set it against a steaming bowl of food and the shape carries its meaning, "plate", with it.

💡 Break 姉 down and you get 女 (woman) — a figure kneeling with arms folded. Picture an older sister standing with a smaller child at her side, put 姉 inside it, and let that scene stand for "older sister" — older sister. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 思 down and you get 田 (rice field) — a field cut into four plots by its paths, and beside it 心 (heart / feeling) — a heart, the seat of how you feel. Picture a heart with a heartbeat pulse line running through it, put 思 inside it, and let that scene stand for "think" — think. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 紙 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool, and beside it 氏 (clan / family name) — a curved line hooking back on itself, one family bound into a single shape. Picture a stack of fresh paper sheets beside a hanging brush, put 紙 inside it, and let that scene stand for "paper" — paper. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 試 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth. Picture a speech bubble with the character spoken inside it, put 試 inside it, and let that scene stand for "try" — try / test. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 字 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 子 (child) — a small child with arms held out. Picture a child under a roof, learning a character on the wall, put 字 inside it, and let that scene stand for "character" — character / letter. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 持 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 寺 (temple / hold) — a hall standing on measured ground. Picture a hand closing firmly around what it grips, put 持 inside it, and let that scene stand for "hold" — hold. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture two people standing side by side: that is what 自 means — self. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 目 (eye) — an eye stood on its end, pupil lines inside. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 室 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 至 (arrive / reach) — an arrow come to rest on the ground. Picture a house under its roof, put 室 inside it, and let that scene stand for "room" — room. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.