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accumulate
禾 + 只zhǐ
grain + only
Character Notes

Grain only accumulates during seasons of activity.

Character Comparison

de
[for verb complements]
彳 + 旦dàn + 寸
queue + daybreak + thumb
Character Notes

Think verb to what end? A day worker queued up at daybreak, with their thumb up to get picked up.

Character Comparison

*spear head
spear modified
Character Notes
Character Comparison
Series

A

*kerchief
clothing modified
Character Notes
Character Comparison
𧘇 scarf

zhěn
*cocktail
𠆢 + 彡
umbrella + bird tail
Character Notes

little umbrella in your cocktail is really a bird tail feather

Character Comparison
Series

hǒu
roar [v.]
口 + 孔
mouth + cavity
Character Notes

If the dentist's numbing shots in your mouth weren’t precise enough, there was roaring when he filled that cavity.

Character Comparison

nose
自 + 畀
nose + runny nose
Character Notes

two views of the nose: straight on and straight up

alternatively: 自 + 田 + 廾 nose + field + two hands, manure field, cover nose with both hands

Character Comparison

hái
tot
子 + 亥hài
child + acorn
Character Notes

tot (child) collecting acorns

Character Comparison

yào
medicine
艹 + 约yuē
flowers + make an appointment
Character Notes

"These flowers are actually grown for medicine. I had to make an appointment with an herbalist to get them." (Wedding Planner)

alternatively: 艹 + 纟 + 勺 flowers + thread + ladle, traditional medicine made from flowers, tied up with thread, boil it and ladle out the soup

Character Comparison

exceed
俞yú + 辶
slaughterhouse + road
Character Notes

Exceed the Date on the Slaughterhouse Meat: In Depression times, nothing is wasted, even expired meat. Here the slaughterhouse is giving away anything extra to those headed out on the road. (1930's On the Road)

Character Comparison

*patched hole
穴 - 丶
hole - drop
Character Notes

drops can't get through the roof once it has been patched

Character Comparison

axe
父fù + 斤
father + axe
Character Notes

In your collection of axes, this biggest one is “the Father.”

Character Comparison
斤jīn *axe

yùn
carry
云yún + 辶
cloud + road
Character Notes

Monkey King is carried by a cloud instead of traveling on the road.

Carrying Goods Creates a Cloud: As the Okies move west carrying their goods, they create a cloud of exhaust on the road behind them. (1930's On the Road)

Character Comparison

utensil
哭 + 吅
cry + chatterbox
Character Notes

Picture a device/utensil for keeping the chatterbox Pekingese quiet that makes you cry.

Alternatively: 4口 + 犬 four mouths waiting for utensils to eat the Pekingese.

Character Comparison

huá
scratch [v.]
戈 + 刂
rifle + sword
Character Notes

When it is a rifle versus a sword, a sword can only scratch a rifle.

Character Comparison

duǎn
short [vs. long]
矢 + 豆dòu
dart + beans
Character Notes

darts and beans are short things

Character Comparison

xiū
shy
⺶ + 丑chǒu
wool + clown
Character Notes

shy clown pulls the wool wig down over his eyes

Character Comparison
Series

ya
wow!
口 + 牙yá
mouth + tooth
Character Notes

You sit down, open your mouth, and the dentist says, “Wow!” not in a good way, when he sees your teeth.

Character Comparison

dān
list [n.]
丷 + 田 + 十
horns + field + ten/needle
Character Notes

farmer making a list of cows in the field, writes down 10

Character Comparison
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