Kanji

💡 Break 黒 down and you get 里 (village / league) — fields with a road running through the settlement, and beside it 灬 (fire underneath) — four small flames licking up from below. Picture a rice field divided into four plots by its paths, put 黒 inside it, and let that scene stand for "black" — black. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 作 down and you get 亻 (person) — a person standing at the left of the scene, and beside it 乍 (suddenly / make) — a jagged stroke stopped mid-line, work broken off in a sudden burst. Picture a person carrying a box held in both arms, put 作 inside it, and let that scene stand for "make" — make. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 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.

💡 Break 質 down and you get 貝 (shell / money) — a shell, the money people once traded with. Picture goods weighed against a money shell on a balance scale, put 質 inside it, and let that scene stand for "quality" — quality. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 写 down and you get 冖 (cover) — a cover laid over what is underneath. Picture a deep overhanging eave carried on two posts with its rafter ends showing, put 写 inside it, and let that scene stand for "copy" — copy / photograph. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 者 down and you get 耂 (old / elder) — a bent back and a walking stick, an elder leaning as they walk, and beside it 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day. Picture a person with one arm raised, waving, put 者 inside it, and let that scene stand for "person" — person. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 借 down and you get 亻 (person) — a person standing at the left of the scene, and beside it 昔 (olden times) — the sun sitting beneath layers of stacked, dried grass. Picture two people standing side by side, put 借 inside it, and let that scene stand for "borrow" — borrow. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 弱 down and you get 弓 (bow / arc) — a bow bent and ready to spring back. Picture a bow drawn and aimed straight ahead, put 弱 inside it, and let that scene stand for "weak" — weak. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 主 down and you get 亠 (lid / top) — a lid resting on the top, and beside it 王 (king / jewel) — a jewel on its stand. Picture a building of two storeys, a small roof sitting above a wider one, put 主 inside it, and let that scene stand for "main" — main / owner. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 取 down and you get 耳 (ear) — an ear turned towards the sound, and beside it 又 (right hand) — a hand closing round something. Picture a hand closing firmly around a basket's handle and lifting it, put 取 inside it, and let that scene stand for "take" — take. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 首 down and you get 自 (self / from) — a nose seen face-on, the shape people point to when they mean themselves. Picture a head and shoulders facing forward, its nose drawn boldly at the centre above a collar, put 首 inside it, and let that scene stand for "neck" — neck / head. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 秋 down and you get 禾 (grain / rice plant) — a stalk of grain bending under its ripe head, and beside it 火 (fire) — a fire with sparks flying off to both sides. Picture grain stalks bending under their ripe autumn heads, put 秋 inside it, and let that scene stand for "autumn" — autumn. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 終 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool. Picture a spool of thread running out at its last strand, put 終 inside it, and let that scene stand for "end" — end. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 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.

💡 心 is the picture: a heart, the seat of how you feel. Set it against a heart with a heartbeat pulse line running through it and the shape carries its meaning, "heart / mind", with it.

💡 Break 親 down and you get 見 (see / look) — an eye on legs, walking out to take a look. Picture an eye looking straight ahead, put 親 inside it, and let that scene stand for "parent" — parent / intimate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 真 down and you get 十 (ten / cross) — two lines crossing at the centre. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 真 inside it, and let that scene stand for "true" — true / real. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 進 down and you get 隹 (short-tailed bird) — a small bird perched with its wing folded, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a small bird stepping forward, one foot ahead of the other, put 進 inside it, and let that scene stand for "advance" — advance. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 図 down and you get 囗 (enclosure / border) — a wall drawn right round the outside, and beside it ⺍ (small) — three tiny strokes tucked into the top corner, barely there at all. Picture a perimeter fence enclosing the yard, put 図 inside it, and let that scene stand for "diagram" — diagram / plan. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture counting beads above a counting board: that is what 数 means — number / count. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 娄 (stacked / numerous) — a figure balancing a tall stack piled up overhead, and beside it 攵 (strike / action) — a hand raised to make something happen. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 世 down and you get 廿 (twenty) — two tens fused side by side under a single bar. Picture an abacus with beads slid along its rods, put 世 inside it, and let that scene stand for "world" — world / generation. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 正 down and you get 一 (one / a line) — a single line, the very first mark, and beside it 止 (stop / step) — a footprint pressed into the ground. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 正 inside it, and let that scene stand for "correct" — correct. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a banner unfurled to announce something: that is what 声 means — voice. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 士 (warrior / scholar) — a figure standing firm, shoulders held level above straight legs. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

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

💡 夕 is the picture: the thin moon that shows early in the evening. Set it against the moon in a night sky and the shape carries its meaning, "evening", with it.

💡 Break 赤 down and you get 土 (earth / soil) — a mound of earth pushed up from flat ground. Picture a glowing ember on a dark cloth, put 赤 inside it, and let that scene stand for "red" — red. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 切 down and you get 刀 (blade / divide) — a clean line splitting something in two. Picture a cleaver blade cutting straight down through a block, put 切 inside it, and let that scene stand for "cut" — cut. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 説 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth, and beside it 兌 (exchange / pleased) — an open mouth held above a pair of legs, pleased and speaking out. Picture a panel of words parting down the middle like a curtain to let a bright idea through the gap, put 説 inside it, and let that scene stand for "explain" — explain / theory. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 洗 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge. Picture a river bending past a stone in its current, put 洗 inside it, and let that scene stand for "wash" — wash. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

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

💡 Break 走 down and you get 土 (earth / soil) — a mound of earth pushed up from flat ground, and beside it 龰 (foot / stop) — a foot resting flat, its toes fanned out along the ground. Picture legs mid-sprint, dust flying past underneath, put 走 inside it, and let that scene stand for "run" — run. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 送 down and you get ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture a pedestrian crossing marked with painted stripes, put 送 inside it, and let that scene stand for "send" — send. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.