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tīng
listen
口 + 斤jīn
mouth + axe
Character Notes

Why this character has a mouth and not an ear can be explained by picturing yourself on a hunt. Your hunting companion moves toward you, and you hold a finger to your mouth, with your axe ready in the other hand, listening for movement. (Hunter Gatherer)

Character Comparison

zǎo
bath
氵 + 喿zào
water + chirping
Character Notes

bird bath OR early morning outdoor bath hearing the birds chirping

Character Comparison
Series

accomplishments
纟 + 责
thread + responsibility
Character Notes

What an accomplished young person! He can sew, and displays responsibility.

Character Comparison

chéng
undertake
了 + 三 + 水
-ed + three + pool of water
Character Notes

Quite the undertaking: cleaning up after a flood, it was three days until the pool of water was dri-ed.

Character Comparison
Series

jade
王 + 丶
king/jewel + drop
Character Notes

A king wearing drops of jade.

as a component, it loses the drop and becomes "王字旁"

Character Comparison

flatten
车 + 乚
vehicle + dental hook
Character Notes

You tear out of the dentist’s office, slam your car into reverse and flatten a dental hook as you speed out of the parking lot.

Character Comparison

qíng
feelings
忄 + 青qīng
meme + green-blue
Character Notes

a meme of a mood ring that turns green-blue when you have happy feelings

Character Comparison

huáng
emperor
白 + 王wáng
white + king
Character Notes

a white king is emperor

Character Comparison
Series

miè
despise
艹 + 罒 + 戊 + 丶
flowers + net + cannon + drop
Character Notes

Flower children despise war. Picture them throwing a net over a cannon or stuffing it with something to prevent it from firing.

Character Comparison

jīn
now, *clock
8 + h
meeting + “hands of clock”
Character Notes

meeting at 6:45, now!

Character Comparison

special
牛 + 寺
cow + Buddhist temple
Character Notes

"We would also like to purchase cows for our temple, as they are very special." (Buddhist Temple)

Character Comparison

máo
spear
Character Notes

derivative: 龴 *spear head

Character Comparison

chā
fork [n.]
又 + 丶
right hand + drop
Character Notes

This could be a picture of a mini fork in your right hand.

Some cultures only use the right hand to eat.

Character Comparison
Series

zhài
stockade
Qsāi + 朩
hamster cage + pole
Character Notes

Picture a stockade built around a hamster cage made of poles.

Character Comparison
Series

zǒu
walk
土 + 龰
soil + trail of footprints
Character Notes

leave a trail of footprints in the soil when you walk

as a component: “走字旁”

Character Comparison

biàn
change
亦 + 又
dancing penguin + right hand
Character Notes

This dancing penguin changes his stick from his right hand to his left.

Character Comparison

zhèn
quake
⻗ + 辰chén
weather + earthquake
Character Notes

1989 San Francisco quake followed by the 1994 L.A. earthquake

Character Comparison

zhǎo
*claw
vulture modified
Character Notes
Character Comparison

zhǒng
swollen
月 + 中zhōng
body part + middle
Character Notes

body part grows in the middle when it swells

Character Comparison
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