Kanji

💡 The sun (日) and moon (月) together give the most light. 明 means bright or clear.

💡 Break 問 down and you get 門 (gate) — a double gate with both doors closed, and beside it 口 (mouth / opening) — an open mouth, or any opening. Picture a gateway standing open, put 問 inside it, and let that scene stand for "question" — question. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 野 down and you get 里 (village / league) — fields with a road running through the settlement, and beside it 予 (beforehand / give) — a shuttle passed forward from one hand to the next before it is needed. Picture a rice field divided into four plots by its paths, put 野 inside it, and let that scene stand for "field" — field. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

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

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

💡 Picture a document marked with an official stamp, and set 用 inside that picture. The scene is the hook: bring it back and 用 comes with it, meaning "use / business".

💡 Break 洋 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge, and beside it 羊 (sheep) — a sheep seen head-on, horns curling out. Picture a drop of water above rippling waves, put 洋 inside it, and let that scene stand for "ocean" — ocean / Western. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 理 down and you get 王 (king / jewel) — a jewel on its stand, and beside it 里 (village / league) — fields with a road running through the settlement. Picture a cut jewel catching the light, put 理 inside it, and let that scene stand for "reason" — reason / logic. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 料 down and you get 米 (rice) — grains of rice scattered from the stalk, and beside it 斗 (ladle / measure) — a ladle used to measure out a portion. Picture a ripe stalk of grain, put 料 inside it, and let that scene stand for "fee" — fee / materials. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 旅 down and you get 方 (direction / way) — a signpost with one arm pointing off. Picture a pedestrian crossing marked with painted stripes, put 旅 inside it, and let that scene stand for "travel" — travel. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 A flexed arm showing muscle. 力 means power or strength.

💡 Break 林 down and you get 木 (tree / wood) — a tree with branches reaching up and roots spreading down. Picture a tree heavy with ripe fruit among its leaves, put 林 inside it, and let that scene stand for "woods" — woods. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 低 down and you get 亻 (person) — a person standing at the left of the scene. Picture a person crouched low beneath a baseline, put 低 inside it, and let that scene stand for "low" — low. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture stepping stones leading forward one pace at a time: that is what 止 means — stop. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 卜 (divining / mark) — a mark made to read what it means. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Picture a road splitting into two forking paths: that is what 歩 means — walk. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 止 (stop / step) — a footprint pressed into the ground. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Picture a single hand cupped sideways as if scooping something up: that is what 使 means — use. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 亻 (person) — a person standing at the left of the scene. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 始 down and you get 女 (woman) — a figure kneeling with arms folded, and beside it 台 (stand / platform) — a raised block to set things on. Picture a woman starting the very first stitch of a seam, put 始 inside it, and let that scene stand for "begin" — begin. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 建 down and you get 聿 (brush / writing) — a hand holding a brush over the paper, and beside it 廴 (stretch / extend) — a road dragged out longer, stretching past where it would normally stop. Picture a milestone post standing beside the road, put 建 inside it, and let that scene stand for "build" — build. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture the sun sitting low behind a mountain ridge: that is what 光 means — light / shine. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, ⺌ (small) — three little strokes, small things scattered. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 夏 down and you get 夂 (walk slowly) — a foot trailing behind the one in front. Picture a wide-brimmed straw hat with the summer sun overhead, put 夏 inside it, and let that scene stand for "summer" — summer. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 政 down and you get 正 (correct / just) — a foot stopped square on the line, and beside it 攵 (strike / action) — a hand raised to make something happen. Picture a hand pressing a crooked post until it stands straight, put 政 inside it, and let that scene stand for "politics" — politics / government. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 議 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth, and beside it 義 (righteousness / justice) — a sheep held up as the standard everyone measures fairness against. Picture three equal voices leaning in over a round table with one document laid out between them, put 議 inside it, and let that scene stand for "deliberation" — deliberation. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a single hand cupped sideways as if scooping something up: that is what 連 means — connect / take along. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 車 (vehicle / wheel) — a cart seen from above, axle through the middle, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 対 down and you get 文 (writing / pattern) — marks written across a surface, and beside it 寸 (measure / inch) — a hand measuring a short distance. Picture two identically marked tablets set face to face with the gap between them measured off exactly, put 対 inside it, and let that scene stand for "opposite" — opposite / versus. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a block split cleanly into two halves: that is what 部 means — part / department. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, ⻏ (village / town) — a walled town climbing the slope at the right edge of the character. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 市 down and you get 亠 (lid / top) — a lid resting on the top, and beside it 巾 (cloth) — a cloth hanging down from its rail. Picture a striped cloth awning hung from a bar over a market stall counter stacked with goods, put 市 inside it, and let that scene stand for "city" — city / market. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 内 down and you get 冂 (enclosure) — an open-bottomed frame around the middle, and beside it 人 (person) — a person standing on two legs. Picture a perimeter fence enclosing the yard, put 内 inside it, and let that scene stand for "inside" — inside. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 相 down and you get 木 (tree / wood) — a tree with branches reaching up and roots spreading down, and beside it 目 (eye) — an eye stood on its end, pupil lines inside. Picture a tree with a broad green crown, put 相 inside it, and let that scene stand for "mutual" — mutual / minister. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 定 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house, and beside it 疋 (bolt of cloth) — a length of cloth measured out and left hanging, one bolt full. Picture a peg driven through a marked spot on the floor under a roof, holding it fixed in place, put 定 inside it, and let that scene stand for "determine" — determine / fix. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 選 down and you get 巽 (gentle / compliant) — two matching shapes set side by side, bending the same way in the wind, and beside it ⻌ (road / movement) — a road running along the bottom of the character. Picture two identical items set out side by side with one of them lifted away along a curving trail, put 選 inside it, and let that scene stand for "choose" — choose. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 米 is the picture: grains of rice scattered from the stalk. Set it against a ripe stalk of grain and the shape carries its meaning, "rice / America", with it.

💡 Break 実 down and you get 宀 (roof) — a roof stretched over the whole house. Picture a shelf under a roof loaded with real fruit and full crates, not just promised, put 実 inside it, and let that scene stand for "reality" — reality / fruit. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 関 down and you get 門 (gate) — a double gate with both doors closed, and beside it 关 (barrier / connect) — two bars crossed and tied together, blocking the way through. Picture a gateway standing open, put 関 inside it, and let that scene stand for "connection" — connection / barrier. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 決 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge, and beside it 夬 (decide / cut) — a decisive stroke breaking through. Picture water bursting through a broken gap in a dam wall, put 決 inside it, and let that scene stand for "decide" — decide. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 全 down and you get 人 (person) — a person standing on two legs, and beside it 王 (king / jewel) — a jewel on its stand. Picture two people standing side by side, put 全 inside it, and let that scene stand for "whole" — whole / entirely. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 表 down and you get 衣 (clothing) — a garment with its collar and sleeves. Picture a garment with its collar and sleeves, put 表 inside it, and let that scene stand for "surface" — surface / express. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Picture a weight lifted with strength: that is what 戦 means — war / fight. Now find the part that anchors it in the character itself, 単 (single / simple) — one lantern hung from a tall pole, standing by itself, and beside it 戈 (halberd / conflict) — a long shaft held across the body. Drop that part into the picture and the shape stops being something separate to memorise.

💡 Break 経 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool, and beside it 圣 (hand at work) — a hand reaching down to press into the earth below it. Picture warp threads strung the whole length of a loom with a shuttle passing straight through them, put 経 inside it, and let that scene stand for "pass through" — pass through / manage. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 最 down and you get 日 (sun / day) — the sun framed by four strokes, marking one day, and beside it 取 (take / obtain) — a hand reaching out to take hold of an ear. Picture the sun shining in a clear sky, put 最 inside it, and let that scene stand for "most" — most. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 現 down and you get 王 (king / jewel) — a jewel on its stand, and beside it 見 (see / look) — an eye on legs, walking out to take a look. Picture a cut jewel catching the light, put 現 inside it, and let that scene stand for "present" — present / appear. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 調 down and you get 言 (speech / words) — words rising out of an open mouth, and beside it 周 (all around / circuit) — a plot of land walled in on every side, the boundary running the whole way round. Picture a ring of even marks with a line of questioning travelling the whole way round it, put 調 inside it, and let that scene stand for "investigate" — investigate / tone. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 化 down and you get 亻 (person) — a person standing at the left of the scene, and beside it 匕 (spoon / change) — a spoon turned over to tip out what it holds. Picture a ladle flipping upside down and tipping out what it held, beside a standing figure, put 化 inside it, and let that scene stand for "change" — change / -ization. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 当 down and you get ⺌ (small) — three little strokes, small things scattered, and beside it ⺕ (hand) — a hand gripping from above. Picture an open ledger book ruled into counted columns, put 当 inside it, and let that scene stand for "hit" — hit / appropriate. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 約 down and you get 糸 (thread / silk) — a thread wound on its spool, and beside it 勺 (ladle / small measure) — a small ladle curved round a single drop it just scooped up. Picture thread wound onto a spool, put 約 inside it, and let that scene stand for "promise" — promise / approximately. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 性 down and you get 忄 (heart / feeling) — a heart standing upright at the left, and beside it 生 (live / grow) — a shoot breaking the surface. Picture a heart, standing for how something feels, put 性 inside it, and let that scene stand for "nature" — nature / gender. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 的 down and you get 白 (white / bright) — the first pale light of the sun, and beside it 勺 (ladle / small measure) — a small ladle curved round a single drop it just scooped up. Picture an arrow striking the white centre of a target, put 的 inside it, and let that scene stand for "target" — target / -like. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 要 down and you get 覀 (west / cover) — an upturned basket sitting low, like the sun settling in the west, and beside it 女 (woman) — a figure kneeling with arms folded. Picture two hands holding the belt at the waist, the one part that must not let go, put 要 inside it, and let that scene stand for "need" — need / essential. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 制 down and you get 刂 (divide / cut) — a straight cut down the right-hand side. Picture a block split cleanly into two halves, put 制 inside it, and let that scene stand for "system" — system / control. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 治 down and you get 氵 (water) — three drops of water running down the left edge, and beside it 台 (stand / platform) — a raised block to set things on. Picture a raised stone platform standing in flowing water, steering the current around it, put 治 inside it, and let that scene stand for "govern" — govern / cure. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.

💡 Break 務 down and you get 矛 (long shaft / pole) — a long wooden pole with a curved hook near the top, gripped and held upright for work. Picture a long-shafted broom gripped in both hands and driven forward under effort, put 務 inside it, and let that scene stand for "duty" — duty / work. The odder the picture, the better it sticks.