Kanji

💡 Break 怠 down and you get 台 (stand / platform) — a raised block to set things on, and beside it 心 (heart / feeling) — a heart, the seat of how you feel. Picture a figure standing on a raised platform, put 怠 inside it, and let that scene stand for "neglect" — neglect / lazy. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 恒 down and you get 忄 (heart / feeling) — a heart standing upright at the left, and beside it 亘 (extend across) — a line stretching flat from edge to edge with the sun crossing over it. Picture a heart-shaped lantern glowing on its string, put 恒 inside it, and let that scene stand for "constant" — constant. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 恵 down and you get 心 (heart / feeling) — a heart, the seat of how you feel. Picture a heart, standing for how something feels, put 恵 inside it, and let that scene stand for "blessing" — blessing / favor. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 悟 down and you get 忄 (heart / feeling) — a heart standing upright at the left, and beside it 吾 (I / myself) — a mouth speaking with five fingers pointed back at itself. Picture a heart, standing for how something feels, put 悟 inside it, and let that scene stand for "realize" — realize. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 愉 down and you get 忄 (heart / feeling) — a heart standing upright at the left, and beside it 兪 (smooth / hollowed out) — a small boat hollowed smooth, gliding easily along. Picture a heart-shaped lantern glowing on its string, put 愉 inside it, and let that scene stand for "pleasant" — pleasant. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 慣 down and you get 忄 (heart / feeling) — a heart standing upright at the left. Picture a heart-shaped lantern glowing on its string, put 慣 inside it, and let that scene stand for "accustomed" — accustomed. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 憶 down and you get 忄 (heart / feeling) — a heart standing upright at the left. Picture a heart, standing for how something feels, put 憶 inside it, and let that scene stand for "remember" — remember. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 掲 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Picture a hand with one finger extended, pointing, put 掲 inside it, and let that scene stand for "put up" — put up / publish. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a page ruled into a ledger table: that is what 描 means — draw / depict. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 把 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 巴 (cling / grip) — a curled hook doubling back on itself, like a hand closing into a fist. Picture a hand with one finger extended, pointing, put 把 inside it, and let that scene stand for "grasp" — grasp. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 抽 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 由 (reason / from) — a seed case with a single shoot poking out through the top. Picture two cupped hands together, offering something held between them, put 抽 inside it, and let that scene stand for "extract" — extract. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 拡 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Picture two cupped hands together, offering something held between them, put 拡 inside it, and let that scene stand for "expand" — expand. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 挑 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 兆 (omen / sign) — a crack forking apart into two curling branches. Picture two cupped hands together, offering something held between them, put 挑 inside it, and let that scene stand for "challenge" — challenge. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a cart on its wheels: that is what 携 means — carry / participate. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Picture a cart on its wheels: that is what 搬 means — transport / carry. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 摘 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Picture an open hand with the character resting in the palm, put 摘 inside it, and let that scene stand for "pick" — pick / point out. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 占 down and you get 卜 (divining / mark) — a mark made to read what it means, and beside it 口 (mouth / opening) — an open mouth, or any opening. Picture counting beads above a counting board, put 占 inside it, and let that scene stand for "occupy" — occupy / divine. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 印 down and you get 卩 (seal / kneel) — a seal pressed down to make it official. Picture a figure standing on a raised platform, put 印 inside it, and let that scene stand for "seal" — seal / mark. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 即 down and you get 艮 (stubborn / firm) — a figure looking back over its shoulder, feet planted and refusing to move, and beside it 卩 (seal / kneel) — a seal pressed down to make it official. Picture a person with one arm raised, waving, put 即 inside it, and let that scene stand for "immediate" — immediate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 却 down and you get 去 (leave / past) — a lid lifted off and carried away, and beside it 卩 (seal / kneel) — a seal pressed down to make it official. Picture a road disappearing through a tunnel cut into a hillside, put 却 inside it, and let that scene stand for "reject" — reject / contrary. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 卸 down and you get 卩 (seal / kneel) — a seal pressed down to make it official. Picture a figure standing on a raised platform, put 卸 inside it, and let that scene stand for "wholesale" — wholesale. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 厳 down and you get ⺍ (small) — three tiny strokes tucked into the top corner, barely there at all. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 厳 inside it, and let that scene stand for "strict" — strict / severe. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 密 down and you get 山 (mountain) — three peaks rising side by side. Picture mountain peaks rising side by side, put 密 inside it, and let that scene stand for "dense" — dense / secret. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 審 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house. Picture a deep overhanging eave carried on two posts with its rafter ends showing, put 審 inside it, and let that scene stand for "examine" — examine / judge. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 寿 down and you get 三 (three) — three lines stacked up, and beside it 丿 (sweeping stroke) — a stroke sweeping down to the left. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 寿 inside it, and let that scene stand for "longevity" — longevity. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 封 down and you get 圭 (corner tablet / mound) — one mound of earth stacked squarely on top of another, and beside it 寸 (measure / inch) — a hand measuring a short distance. Picture a mound of earth raised from flat ground, put 封 inside it, and let that scene stand for "seal (envelope)" — seal (envelope). The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a bow drawn and aimed straight ahead: that is what 射 means — shoot. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 身 (body) — the whole body, seen from the side, and beside it 寸 (measure / inch) — a hand measuring a short distance. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 尊 down and you get 寸 (measure / inch) — a hand measuring a short distance. Picture a ruler marking off a measured length, put 尊 inside it, and let that scene stand for "respect" — respect / noble. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 尽 down and you get 尺 (measure / length) — a measure held against the thing being sized, and beside it 冫 (ice) — two frozen droplets clinging to the side. Picture a ruler marking off a measured length, put 尽 inside it, and let that scene stand for "exhaust" — exhaust / devote. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 屈 down and you get 尸 (body / house) — the low roof of a small dwelling, and beside it 出 (exit / emerge) — one peak climbing straight up out from behind another. Picture rows of curved roof tiles overlapping down from the ridge, put 屈 inside it, and let that scene stand for "bend" — bend / yield. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a milestone post standing beside the road: that is what 岐 means — fork in road. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 山 (mountain) — three peaks rising side by side. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 崩 down and you get 山 (mountain) — three peaks rising side by side. Picture mountain peaks rising side by side, put 崩 inside it, and let that scene stand for "collapse" — collapse. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 巡 down and you get 巛 (stream) — three curling lines of water swirling instead of running straight, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a road arching over a bridge across water, put 巡 inside it, and let that scene stand for "patrol" — patrol / go around. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 州 down and you get 丶 (dot) — a single dot marking the spot, and beside it 川 (river) — three lines of water flowing downhill. Picture an abacus with beads slid along its rods, put 州 inside it, and let that scene stand for "state" — state / province. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture an overhanging cliff with shelter beneath it: that is what 冒 means — risk / brave. 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 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 陣 down and you get ⻖ (hill / mound) — a terraced hill climbing at the left, and beside it 車 (vehicle / wheel) — a cart seen from above, axle through the middle. Picture a terraced hillside, put 陣 inside it, and let that scene stand for "camp" — camp / formation. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 掌 down and you get 尚 (still / esteemed) — smoke curling up through a little vent in the roof, and beside it 手 (hand) — a hand with its fingers and wrist. Picture rows of curved roof tiles overlapping down from the ridge, put 掌 inside it, and let that scene stand for "palm" — palm / control. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a cart on its wheels: that is what 錬 means — refine / train. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 金 (metal / gold) — metal kept under a roof — something precious, and beside it 東 (east) — the sun caught behind the branches of a tree. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Picture a cart on its wheels: that is what 鍛 means — forge / train. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 金 (metal / gold) — metal kept under a roof — something precious, and beside it 段 (step / stage) — a cliff face cut into a series of even steps, one leading up to the next. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 糾 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool, and beside it 丩 (entangle / twist) — two strands twisted and crossed around each other. Picture thread wound onto a spool, put 糾 inside it, and let that scene stand for "twist" — twist / examine. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 弾 down and you get 弓 (bow / arc) — a bow bent and ready to spring back, and beside it 単 (single / simple) — one lantern hung from a tall pole, standing by itself. Picture a bow drawn and aimed straight ahead, put 弾 inside it, and let that scene stand for "bullet" — bullet / play (instrument). The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 劾 down and you get 亥 (boar (zodiac)) — a boar's bent back and tusks, seen from the side, and beside it 力 (power / strength) — an arm flexed to show its strength. Picture a weight lifted with strength, put 劾 inside it, and let that scene stand for "censure" — censure. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 罷 down and you get 罒 (eye / net) — an eye laid on its side, watching from above, and beside it 能 (ability / capable) — a sturdy, four-legged shape braced and ready to perform. Picture an eye looking straight ahead, put 罷 inside it, and let that scene stand for "quit" — quit / dismiss. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 迭 down and you get 失 (lose / miss) — an arrow that has slipped loose, veering off its usual line, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a road splitting into two forking paths, put 迭 inside it, and let that scene stand for "alternate" — alternate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 遷 down and you get ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a road splitting into two forking paths, put 遷 inside it, and let that scene stand for "transition" — transition / move. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 擢 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Picture a hand with one finger extended, pointing, put 擢 inside it, and let that scene stand for "select" — select / excel. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 聘 down and you get 耳 (ear) — an ear turned towards the sound, and beside it 甹 (call forth) — a shoot straining up and calling out to be noticed. Picture an ear turned towards an incoming sound, put 聘 inside it, and let that scene stand for "invite" — invite. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 赴 down and you get 走 (run) — someone running along the road, and beside it 卜 (divining / mark) — a mark made to read what it means. Picture a milestone post standing beside the road, put 赴 inside it, and let that scene stand for "proceed to" — proceed to. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 殉 down and you get 歹 (death / decay) — a scatter of broken, jagged bone fragments, and beside it 旬 (ten-day period) — the sun making one full wrap of its cycle, ten days round. Picture a person resting under a blanket in bed, put 殉 inside it, and let that scene stand for "martyrdom" — martyrdom. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 隷 down and you get 隶 (catch / servant) — a hand stretched out, just closing on the tail of whatever it is made to follow. Picture a single hand cupped sideways as if scooping something up, put 隷 inside it, and let that scene stand for "slave" — slave / subordinate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.