221) 月

yue

moon; month

Symbolizes the shape of the crescent or half moon. When combined with other characters, it means “meat 肉 [ròu]” or sometimes “boat 舟 [zhōu].”

221yx) 舟

zhou

221y-218f*) 朝

chao

dynasty

grass 艹 [cǎo] + sun 日 [rì] + boat 月 →舟 [zhōu]

Originally meant as a morning sun (日) rising above the grass (艹) field. In the bronze inscription, however, ship (舟) was added to imply a smooth voyage – symbolizing a wish for a smooth (舟) sailing of a newly-established dynasty. Also derived to mean facing towards something, as people of a nation always faced the kingdom of a dynasty.

221zx) 亡

wang

221z-5c*) 望

look towards

die 亡 [wáng] + moon 月²²¹[yuè] + stand on tiptoe 王→壬¹⁰⁵[tíng]

A man who is about to die (亡) away from home misses his family and his home and stands tiptoe (壬) to look toward the same moon (月) they will be seeing in the night sky.

221wx) 其

qi

221w-44b*) 期

qi

period

winnowing basket/it 其 [qí] + moon 月²²¹[yuè]

Before taking grains to winnow (其), farmers checked the moon (月) to ascertain the seasonal period. 

221qx) 阝

fu

221q-147c*) 阴

yin

moon

hill 阝[fù] + moon 月²²¹[yuè]

This describes the moon (月) rising above a hill (阝), and symbolizes “Yin” as explained in the above character “阳.”

221ax) 刂

dao

221axx) 止

zhi

221a) 前

qian

front

foot/stop 䒑→止⁵³[zhǐ] + boat 月→舟¹²⁵[zhōu] + knife刂=刀¹¹⁹[dāo]

Symbolizes feet (止) of a man standing on the bow – or the front – of a ship (舟) sailing forward (刂) on water.

221bx) 亼

ji

221b) 俞

yu

surname; stand for food at sacrifice 

assemble 亼 [jí] + boat 月→舟¹²⁵[zhōu] + knife刂=刀 [dāo]

??? The collective (亼) circumstances are getting better for a ship (舟) to sail forward (刂).

221cx) 忄

xin

221c) 愉

yu

pleased

heart 忄=心²⁸[xīn] + more 俞 [yù]

Signifies a pleased mind (忄) as winds and conditions get better (俞).

221dx) 车

che

221d) 输

shu

transport

cart 车¹²⁴[chē] + more 俞 [yù]

Signifies transportation of goods using boats and carts (⻋) as winds and conditions get better (俞).

221px) 生

sheng

221p-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.

221ox) 又

you

again

hand

221oxx) 卩

jie

person

kneel

221o-34b*) 服

fu

serve; clothes

boat 月 →舟 [zhōu] + kneel/person卩⁸⁵[jié] + hand/again 又 [yòu]

You force (又) a man to kneel (卩) and keep him in your ship (舟). To take someone on board meant you made him serve you, and to differentiate such people from your original crew, you made them wear special clothes.

222) 夕

xi

evening, dusk

Symbolizes the shape of a crescent moon, signifying evening.

222ax) 卜

bo

222a) 外

wai

outside; outer

evening 夕 [xī] + divination 卜¹²⁷[bǔ]

Fortune-telling (卜) at night (夕) causes both teller and spirits into exhaustion to miss (as in outside of truth) their telling.

222b) 夜

ye

night

rocks 丶 [symbol] covering 亠 [symbol] + person 亻⁷⁰[rén] + walk slowly 夂⁵⁶[zhǐ]

A person (亻) is walking (夂) slowly in dark night (亠) to avoid rocks (丶) in the road.

name; reputation

evening 夕 [xī] + mouth 口¹⁶[kǒu]

In the middle of a dark night (夕), one must call (口) out names of others to find or recognize them.

222yx) 山

shan

222y-195a*) 岁

sui

year(s)

mountain 山 [shān] + evening 夕²²²[xī]

Evening (夕) represents the end of a day – signifies passing of a high mountain (山) in a trek of life and finalizing (夕) the past year.

222-85c*) 宛

wan

winding

house 宀¹⁴¹[mián] + lying around 夗 [yuàn]

A person rolling around in his sleep (夗) at home (宀) looks like something is being ‘wound up.’

222d) 多

duo

many

meat 夕→月²²¹→肉¹⁹²[ròu] + meat 夕→月→肉 [ròu]

Many pieces of meat (肉) are stacked together to describe meaning of many. 

222zx) 石

shi

222z-85d*) 碗

wan

bowl

stone 石¹⁹⁷[shí] + winding 宛 [wǎn]

To roll up (宛) clay into the shape of a bowl and fire it in a kiln until it is as hard as a stone (石).