207) 艹

cao

grass

Simplified form of sprouts or grass (艸) formed by combining 2 sprouts (屮) Used only in combination with other characters and usually placed on top

207ax) 早

zao

207a) 草

cao

grass

grass 艹 [cǎo] + morning 早^218e[zǎo]

Grass (艹) on the field shining with the morning sun (早).

207yx) 采

cai

207y) 菜

cai

vegetables, greens

grass 艹²⁰⁷[cǎo] + pick 采 [cǎi]

Vegetables are plants (艹) that are picked by hand (采), which is true because most edible vegetation can be picked by hand.

207b) 茶

cha

tea

grass 艹 [cǎo] + covering  [symbol] + tree 木²¹⁰[mù]

Symbolizes the making of tea by processing leaves (艹) that cover (symbol) the tea trees (木).

207zx) 化

hua

207z-70b*) 花

hua 

flower; spend

grass 艹²⁰⁷[cǎo] + change 化 [huà]

As a person goes from baby to an elderly, plants (艹) change (化) into beautiful flowers. For a plant to bloom, it has to ‘spend’ time and energy.

207wx) 古

gu

207w-19d*) 苦

ku

bitter

grass 艹²⁰⁷[cǎo] + age-old 古 [gǔ]

Old (古) plants (艹) mean medicinal herbs, which are naturally bitter. 

207qy) 乙

yi

207q) 艺

yi

art; skill

grass 艹²⁰⁷[cǎo] + hunched stance/2th 乙[yǐ]

someone looking after a plant (艹) that is growing haphazardly and crooked (乙). Attending to such a plant requires enormous effort and is a skilful art.

207cx) 隹

zhui

207c) 蕉

jiao

plantain; banana

grass 艹 [cǎo] + bird 隹¹⁷⁸[zhuī] + fire 灬=火¹⁵⁸[huǒ]

Plantain is a perennial plant with a soft grasslike (艹) stem and large leaves like wing of a bird (隹). As years pass, the stems above ground may die (灬) out but the root still survives. Also refers to banana, a type of plantain plant.

207d) 约 / 约定

yue / yueding

approximately; promise

thread 纟¹³²[sī] + ladle 勺^46a[sháo]

a ceremony of sharing a glass of wine (勺) with a promise to be together for the rest of life, thereby connecting (纟) the bride and groom in a covenant.

207e) 药

yao

drug, medicine

 grass 艹 [cǎo] + promise 约 [yuē]

 A doctor hands out natural medicine (艹) to a patient with promise (约) that it will cure him or her.

207f) 世

shi

world; lifetime

Symbolizes new sprouts (屮) budding out on a dry branch in spring, signifying the beginning of life in a new world.

208) 生

sheng

be born; life

New sprouts (屮) start growing above ground (土) – representing birth and life.

208ax) 舟

zhou

208a) 胜

sheng

victory

boat 月²²¹→舟¹²⁵[zhōu] + life/be born 生 [shēng]

Victory is achieved if you are alive (生) on a battleship (舟) with nowhere to run.

208bx) 日

ri

208b) 星

xing

star

sun 日²¹⁸[rì] + be born 生 [shēng]

Stars are represented as a baby sun (日) which was just born (生).

208c) 姓

xing

surname

woman 女⁹⁶[nǚ] + be born 生 [shēng]

Back in the ancient maternal society, a person was given a surname that identified which woman (女) he or she was born (生) from.

208yx) 忄

xin

208y) 性

xing

nature; sex

heart 忄=心 [xīn] + be born 生²⁰⁸[shēng]

Something that comes out of (生) one’s heart (忄) is that person’s nature.