Kanji

💡 Break 習 down and you get 白 (white / bright) — the first pale light of the sun. Picture the sun half hidden behind a passing cloud, put 習 inside it, and let that scene stand for "learn" — learn. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 集 down and you get 隹 (short-tailed bird) — a small bird perched with its wing folded, and beside it 木 (tree / wood) — a tree with branches reaching up and roots spreading down. Picture three small birds perched together on one branch, put 集 inside it, and let that scene stand for "gather" — gather. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 住 down and you get 亻 (person) — a person standing at the left of the scene, and beside it 主 (master / main) — a lamp on its stand, the room built round it. Picture a person sitting cross-legged on the ground, put 住 inside it, and let that scene stand for "live" — live / reside. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 重 down and you get 里 (village / league) — fields with a road running through the settlement. Picture a field terraced into steps up a hillside, put 重 inside it, and let that scene stand for "heavy" — heavy / pile up. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 春 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture the sun above three fresh shoots pushing up through the soil, put 春 inside it, and let that scene stand for "spring" — spring. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 所 down and you get 戸 (door / household) — a single door on its hinge, and beside it 斤 (axe / weight) — a tool that splits a block apart. Picture a single door, put 所 inside it, and let that scene stand for "place" — place. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a flame burning: that is what 暑 means — hot (weather). Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day, and beside it 者 (person doing it) — someone standing over their work. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 場 down and you get 土 (earth / soil) — a mound of earth pushed up from flat ground. Picture a mound of earth raised from flat ground, put 場 inside it, and let that scene stand for "place" — place /場所. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a cart on its wheels: that is what 乗 means — ride. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 木 (tree / wood) — a tree with branches reaching up and roots spreading down. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Picture a cut jewel catching the light: that is what 色 means — color. 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, and beside it 巴 (cling / grip) — a curled hook doubling back on itself, like a hand closing into a fist. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.