Kanji

💡 Break 括 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 舌 (tongue) — a tongue moving inside an open mouth. Picture an open hand with the character resting in the palm, put 括 inside it, and let that scene stand for "bundle" — bundle / fasten. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 握 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 屋 (house / roof) — a roof sloped low over a room built to hold something inside. Picture two cupped hands together, offering something held between them, put 握 inside it, and let that scene stand for "grip" — grip. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 稼 down and you get 禾 (grain / rice plant) — a stalk of grain bending under its ripe head, and beside it 家 (house / home) — a whole household gathered safe together under one roof. Picture a ripe stalk of grain, put 稼 inside it, and let that scene stand for "earn" — earn. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 駆 down and you get 馬 (horse) — a horse with its mane and four legs, and beside it 区 (district / divide) — a box with a cross cut through the middle, splitting it into sections. Picture a horse standing in profile, put 駆 inside it, and let that scene stand for "gallop" — gallop / drive. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 徹 down and you get 彳 (step / going) — the left half of a crossroads, where people walk. Picture a pedestrian crossing marked with painted stripes, put 徹 inside it, and let that scene stand for "penetrate" — penetrate / thorough. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a cart on its wheels: that is what 貫 means — pierce / carry through. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 毋 (do not / forbid) — a figure with a bar struck straight across it, blocking the way, 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 遂 down and you get ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a crossroads with a person walking through it and a signboard at the corner, put 遂 inside it, and let that scene stand for "accomplish" — accomplish. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 履 down and you get 尸 (body / house) — the low roof of a small dwelling, and beside it 復 (return / repeat) — a road that loops back around to where it first began. Picture a building topped with a flat railed terrace, put 履 inside it, and let that scene stand for "footwear" — footwear / fulfill. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a single hand cupped sideways as if scooping something up: that is what 執 means — execute / take. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 幸 (fortune / luck) — a pole notched evenly from top to bottom, luck measured out in equal shares, and beside it 丸 (round / pellet) — a single stroke curled tight into a small round ball. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 筆 down and you get 竹 (bamboo) — two bamboo stalks with their leaves, and beside it 聿 (brush / writing) — a hand holding a brush over the paper. Picture two bamboo stalks with their segments, put 筆 inside it, and let that scene stand for "writing brush" — writing brush. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 閲 down and you get 門 (gate) — a double gate with both doors closed, and beside it 兌 (exchange / pleased) — an open mouth held above a pair of legs, pleased and speaking out. Picture a gateway standing open, put 閲 inside it, and let that scene stand for "review" — review / inspection. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 添 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge. Picture a drop of water above rippling waves, put 添 inside it, and let that scene stand for "add" — add / attach. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 削 down and you get 肖 (resemble / small piece) — a small crescent sliver, cut to match the shape it came from, and beside it 刂 (divide / cut) — a straight cut down the right-hand side. Picture a block split cleanly into two halves, put 削 inside it, and let that scene stand for "shave" — shave / delete. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 敲 down and you get 高 (tall) — a tall tower rising storey upon storey above the rooftops around it, and beside it 攴 (strike / tap) — a hand raised to give a light, deliberate tap. Picture rows of curved roof tiles overlapping down from the ridge, put 敲 inside it, and let that scene stand for "knock" — knock / polish writing. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 訂 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth, and beside it 丁 (nail / town block) — a nail seen from the side, its head flat above a straight shaft. Picture a speech bubble with the character spoken inside it, put 訂 inside it, and let that scene stand for "correct" — correct / revise. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 繕 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool, and beside it 善 (good / virtuous) — two mouths speaking kindly, both praising the same gentle thing. Picture a needle threaded and ready to sew, put 繕 inside it, and let that scene stand for "mend" — mend. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 撤 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 撤 inside it, and let that scene stand for "withdraw" — withdraw / remove. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a ruler marking off a measured length: that is what 措 means — set aside / measure. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 昔 (olden times) — the sun sitting beneath layers of stacked, dried grass. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 寛 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 莧 (a wide, spreading plant) — a wide-leafed plant growing loose and unrestrained. Picture a building topped with a flat railed terrace, put 寛 inside it, and let that scene stand for "tolerant" — tolerant / generous. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 緻 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool, and beside it 致 (cause to arrive / meticulous) — a hand giving one final push to see something all the way there. Picture a needle threaded and ready to sew, put 緻 inside it, and let that scene stand for "fine" — fine / minute. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 綿 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool, and beside it 帛 (silk / cloth) — a bolt of pale cloth hanging smooth from its rail. Picture a needle threaded and ready to sew, put 綿 inside it, and let that scene stand for "cotton" — cotton / detailed. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 膨 down and you get 月 (moon / month) — the moon hanging in a clear night sky, and beside it 彭 (drumbeat / resounding) — a drum struck hard, sound lines shooting out to the side. Picture the moon in a night sky, put 膨 inside it, and let that scene stand for "swell" — swell. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 莫 down and you get 艹 (grass / plant) — two shoots pushing up through the soil. Picture young plants pushing up out of the soil beside a garden label, put 莫 inside it, and let that scene stand for "vast" — vast / must not. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture an open notebook with an idea lighting up above it, and set 甚 inside that picture. The scene is the hook: bring it back and 甚 comes with it, meaning "extreme".

💡 Break 顕 down and you get 頁 (head / page) — a head bent over a page. Picture a document marked with an official stamp, put 顕 inside it, and let that scene stand for "manifest" — manifest / notable. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 著 down and you get 艹 (grass / plant) — two shoots pushing up through the soil, and beside it 者 (person doing it) — someone standing over their work. Picture young plants pushing up out of the soil beside a garden label, put 著 inside it, and let that scene stand for "notable" — notable / author. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 暫 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture the sun glowing with a warm halo at dusk, put 暫 inside it, and let that scene stand for "temporary" — temporary / for a while. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 網 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool. Picture thread wound onto a spool, put 網 inside it, and let that scene stand for "net" — net / network. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a needle threaded and ready to sew: that is what 羅 means — spread out / silk. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 罒 (eye / net) — an eye laid on its side, watching from above. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 潜 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge. Picture a well with its water surface catching the light, put 潜 inside it, and let that scene stand for "lurk" — lurk / dive. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 旨 down and you get 匕 (spoon / change) — a spoon turned over to tip out what it holds, and beside it 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture an open hand with the character resting in the palm, put 旨 inside it, and let that scene stand for "gist" — gist / purport. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 骨 down and you get 月 (moon / month) — the moon hanging in a clear night sky. Picture the moon in a night sky, put 骨 inside it, and let that scene stand for "bone" — bone / framework. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 概 down and you get 木 (tree / wood) — a tree with branches reaching up and roots spreading down, and beside it 既 (already) — a bowl already emptied, the eater turning away from it. Picture a felled tree trunk lying beside its stump, put 概 inside it, and let that scene stand for "general" — general / outline. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a needle threaded and ready to sew: that is what 筋 means — muscle / logic thread. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 竹 (bamboo) — two bamboo stalks with their leaves. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 脈 down and you get 月 (moon / month) — the moon hanging in a clear night sky. Picture the moon in a night sky, put 脈 inside it, and let that scene stand for "vein" — vein / pulse. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 譜 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth. Picture two speech bubbles overlapping in a conversation, put 譜 inside it, and let that scene stand for "musical score" — musical score / genealogy. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 沿 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge. Picture water falling from a rock ledge into the pool below it, put 沿 inside it, and let that scene stand for "along" — along. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 端 down and you get 立 (stand) — a person standing firmly on the ground. Picture a signpost standing fixed at a crossing, put 端 inside it, and let that scene stand for "edge" — edge / end. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 契 down and you get 大 (big) — a person stretching both arms out as wide as they go. Picture a person sitting cross-legged on the ground, put 契 inside it, and let that scene stand for "pledge" — pledge / contract. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 兆 down and you get 儿 (legs / person) — two legs walking out from underneath. Picture a person carrying a box held in both arms, put 兆 inside it, and let that scene stand for "omen" — omen / trillion. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 焦 down and you get 隹 (short-tailed bird) — a small bird perched with its wing folded, and beside it 灬 (fire underneath) — four small flames licking up from below. Picture a small bird perched with its wing folded, put 焦 inside it, and let that scene stand for "scorch" — scorch / impatient. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 盲 down and you get 亡 (vanish / lost) — a figure ducking down out of sight beneath a low cover, and beside it 目 (eye) — an eye stood on its end, pupil lines inside. Picture a house under its roof, put 盲 inside it, and let that scene stand for "blind" — blind. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 潤 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge. Picture rain falling from a cloud onto a rippling pond, put 潤 inside it, and let that scene stand for "moisten" — moisten / profit. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 抵 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 氐 (base / bottom) — a hooked root driven one stroke deeper than the shape above it. Picture two cupped hands together, offering something held between them, put 抵 inside it, and let that scene stand for "resist" — resist / mortgage. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a document marked with an official stamp: that is what 簿 means — register / record book. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 竹 (bamboo) — two bamboo stalks with their leaves, and beside it 溥 (spread thin) — water spread so thin it barely covers the ground beneath it. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Picture a deep overhanging eave carried on two posts with its rafter ends showing: that is what 閣 means — cabinet / tower. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 門 (gate) — a double gate with both doors closed, and beside it 各 (each) — one foot set down beside a mouth. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 脳 down and you get 月 (moon / month) — the moon hanging in a clear night sky. Picture the moon in a night sky, put 脳 inside it, and let that scene stand for "brain" — brain. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture two people standing side by side: that is what 吏 means — official. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 丈 (measure / full-grown) — a measuring rod gripped firm in an outstretched hand, 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.

💡 Break 庶 down and you get 广 (building / lean-to) — a roof with one open side, built against a wall. Picture a house under its roof, put 庶 inside it, and let that scene stand for "commoner" — commoner / various. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture an open notebook with an idea lighting up above it, and set 衆 inside that picture. The scene is the hook: bring it back and 衆 comes with it, meaning "masses / crowd".