Kanji

💡 Break 聴 down and you get 耳 (ear) — an ear turned towards the sound. Picture an ear turned towards an incoming sound, put 聴 inside it, and let that scene stand for "listen" — listen. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 陪 down and you get ⻖ (hill / mound) — a terraced hill climbing at the left. Picture a terraced hillside, put 陪 inside it, and let that scene stand for "attend" — attend / accompany. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 訴 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 訴 inside it, and let that scene stand for "sue" — sue / appeal. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 訟 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth. Picture a bell ringing out to call for attention, put 訟 inside it, and let that scene stand for "litigation" — litigation. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 逮 down and you get 隶 (catch / servant) — a hand stretched out, just closing on the tail of whatever it is made to follow, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a road disappearing through a tunnel cut into a hillside, put 逮 inside it, and let that scene stand for "arrest" — arrest / capture. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 拘 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 句 (phrase / clause) — a mouthful of words folded closed into one wrapped phrase. Picture an open hand with the character resting in the palm, put 拘 inside it, and let that scene stand for "arrest" — arrest / adhere. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 釈 down and you get 尺 (measure / length) — a measure held against the thing being sized. Picture counting beads above a counting board, put 釈 inside it, and let that scene stand for "explain" — explain / release. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 赦 down and you get 攵 (strike / action) — a hand raised to make something happen. Picture a mound of earth raised from flat ground, put 赦 inside it, and let that scene stand for "pardon" — pardon. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

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

💡 Picture a wall drawn right around what it holds: that is what 戒 means — admonish / guard. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 戈 (halberd / conflict) — a long shaft held across the body, and beside it 廾 (two hands) — two hands lifting from below. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 隠 down and you get ⻖ (hill / mound) — a terraced hill climbing at the left. Picture a terraced hillside, put 隠 inside it, and let that scene stand for "hide" — hide. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 蔽 down and you get 艹 (grass / plant) — two shoots pushing up through the soil, and beside it 敝 (worn / tattered) — a cloth beaten so often its threads have started to fray. Picture young plants pushing up out of the soil beside a garden label, put 蔽 inside it, and let that scene stand for "cover" — cover / conceal. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 捏 down and you get 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left. Picture a single hand cupped sideways as if scooping something up, put 捏 inside it, and let that scene stand for "fabricate" — fabricate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 偽 down and you get 亻 (person) — a person standing at the left of the scene. Picture a person bent forward from the waist in a bow, put 偽 inside it, and let that scene stand for "false" — false / fake. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 詐 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth, and beside it 乍 (suddenly / make) — a jagged stroke stopped mid-line, work broken off in a sudden burst. Picture a banner unfurled to announce something, put 詐 inside it, and let that scene stand for "deceive" — deceive. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 欺 down and you get 其 (that (one) / basket) — a woven basket set up on two crossed legs of its own, and beside it 欠 (lack / open mouth) — a person leaning forward with their mouth open. Picture an open mouth, put 欺 inside it, and let that scene stand for "deceive" — deceive. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 騙 down and you get 馬 (horse) — a horse with its mane and four legs, and beside it 扁 (flat / tablet) — a stack of flat tablets slid behind a door, pressed thin against each other. Picture a horse standing in profile, put 騙 inside it, and let that scene stand for "trick" — trick. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 盗 down and you get 次 (next / in turn) — a mouth open in a yawn, waiting its turn beside the cold, and beside it 皿 (dish / plate) — a dish standing on the table. Picture a steaming bowl of food, put 盗 inside it, and let that scene stand for "steal" — steal. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 賄 down and you get 貝 (shell / money) — a shell, the money people once traded with. Picture a coin, the money things are traded for, put 賄 inside it, and let that scene stand for "bribe" — bribe / provide. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 賂 down and you get 貝 (shell / money) — a shell, the money people once traded with, and beside it 各 (each) — one foot set down beside a mouth. Picture a coin, the money things are traded for, put 賂 inside it, and let that scene stand for "bribe" — bribe. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 癒 down and you get 疒 (illness) — someone lying on a bed, resting. Picture a bed made up for someone to rest in, put 癒 inside it, and let that scene stand for "heal" — heal. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a cleaver blade cutting straight down through a block: that is what 彫 means — carve. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 周 (all around / circuit) — a plot of land walled in on every side, the boundary running the whole way round. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 塑 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 塑 inside it, and let that scene stand for "model" — model / mold. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 鋳 down and you get 金 (metal / gold) — metal kept under a roof — something precious. Picture a bar of metal, put 鋳 inside it, and let that scene stand for "cast (metal)" — cast (metal). The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 錠 down and you get 金 (metal / gold) — metal kept under a roof — something precious. Picture a bar of metal, put 錠 inside it, and let that scene stand for "lock" — lock / tablet. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 鍵 down and you get 金 (metal / gold) — metal kept under a roof — something precious. Picture a bar of metal, put 鍵 inside it, and let that scene stand for "key" — key. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 鎖 down and you get 金 (metal / gold) — metal kept under a roof — something precious. Picture a bar of metal, put 鎖 inside it, and let that scene stand for "chain" — chain. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 鎮 down and you get 金 (metal / gold) — metal kept under a roof — something precious, and beside it 真 (true / genuine) — an eye set squarely on its stand, the same from every angle. Picture a bar of metal, put 鎮 inside it, and let that scene stand for "calm" — calm / suppress. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 圧 down and you get 厂 (cliff / shelter) — an overhanging cliff you can shelter under, and beside it 土 (earth / soil) — a mound of earth pushed up from flat ground. Picture an overhanging cliff with shelter beneath it, put 圧 inside it, and let that scene stand for "pressure" — pressure. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 迫 down and you get 白 (white / bright) — the first pale light of the sun, 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 迫 inside it, and let that scene stand for "press" — press / urge. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 逼 down and you get 辶 (road / movement) — a road sweeping under the character. Picture a crossroads with a person walking through it and a signboard at the corner, put 逼 inside it, and let that scene stand for "press" — press / imminent. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 虐 down and you get 虍 (tiger) — a tiger's striped head, seen from the front. Picture a four-legged animal standing in profile, put 虐 inside it, and let that scene stand for "abuse" — abuse / cruel. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

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

💡 Picture a perimeter fence enclosing the yard: that is what 衛 means — defense / guard. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 行 (go / conduct) — a crossroads seen from above, paths leading off in both directions, and beside it 韋 (hide / surround) — a hide stretched taut between feet planted on either side of it. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Picture a gateway standing open: that is what 披 means — open / disclose. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 扌 (hand) — a hand reaching in from the left, and beside it 皮 (skin / hide) — a hide pulled off in one piece. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 露 down and you get 雨 (rain) — droplets falling from under a cloud. Picture rain falling from a cloud, put 露 inside it, and let that scene stand for "dew" — dew / expose. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 宴 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house. Picture a boundary wall with a small roofed gateway standing open in the middle of it, put 宴 inside it, and let that scene stand for "banquet" — banquet. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 宛 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 宛 inside it, and let that scene stand for "addressed to" — addressed to. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 宜 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 且 (moreover / also) — a stack of shelves piled one above another. Picture a boundary wall with a small roofed gateway standing open in the middle of it, put 宜 inside it, and let that scene stand for "good" — good / suitable. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 宰 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 辛 (bitter / spicy) — a blade point balanced upright, sharp enough to sting the tongue. Picture a house under its roof, put 宰 inside it, and let that scene stand for "preside over" — preside over. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 宵 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 肖 (resemble / small piece) — a small crescent sliver, cut to match the shape it came from. Picture the moon in a night sky, put 宵 inside it, and let that scene stand for "evening" — evening. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 寂 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house. Picture a house under its roof, put 寂 inside it, and let that scene stand for "lonely" — lonely / quiet. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 寡 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house. Picture a building topped with a flat railed terrace, put 寡 inside it, and let that scene stand for "few" — few / widow. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 寮 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 尞 (bonfire / companions) — a bonfire with sparks flying up and out to both sides. Picture rows of curved roof tiles overlapping down from the ridge, put 寮 inside it, and let that scene stand for "dormitory" — dormitory. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 尚 down and you get ⺌ (small) — three little strokes, small things scattered. Picture an abacus with beads slid along its rods, put 尚 inside it, and let that scene stand for "still" — still / further. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

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

💡 Break 尼 down and you get 尸 (body / house) — the low roof of a small dwelling, and beside it 匕 (spoon / change) — a spoon turned over to tip out what it holds. Picture rows of curved roof tiles overlapping down from the ridge, put 尼 inside it, and let that scene stand for "nun" — nun. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

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

💡 Break 峡 down and you get 山 (mountain) — three peaks rising side by side, and beside it 夹 (pinch between) — a figure with something clamped tight under each arm. Picture mountain peaks rising side by side, put 峡 inside it, and let that scene stand for "gorge" — gorge. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

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