223a) 不

bu

no(t)

ground /earth 一 [symbol] + root  [symbol]

Root (symbol) of plants will not spring above ground (一). Used as negation.

223bx) 木

mu

223b) 杯

bei

cup

tree 木²¹⁰[mù] + not 不 [bù]

A meaning of drinking cup (for alcohol) is derived from wooden (木) cups used by people with “不” added as pronunciation guide.

223y-61b*) 还

hai

still

not 不^223a[bù] + road/go 辶 [chuò]

 When “辶” is used about a road, it’s about the distance. This describes the situation when one is on the road (辶), but the distance is still not (不) decreasing.

223zx) 土

tu

earth; dust; soil

223z-152d*) 坏

huai

bad

soil 土 [tǔ] + not 不^223a[bù]

Soil (土) produces plants which serve as most essential elements for easily available food chain in the ecological world. When the soil as such has turned bad, it can no longer (不) produce such plants or crops.

223c) 业 / 职业 

ye / zhiye

industry; business

job; occupation

tool holder  [symbol] + supporting plate 一 [symbol]

A tool holder (symbol) is placed on top of a supporting plate (一), derived to mean occupation or job.

223d) 七

qi

seven; 7

Lower part of “ten 十 [shí]” is bent to represent number 7, a little less than 10.

223e) 三

san

three; 3

Three strokes of lines are used to represent number 3.

223f) 上

shang

up; above

symbol  [symbol] + base line 一 [symbol]

A symbol () above a line serving as base (一). Can be used differently as verb.

223g) 下

xia

down(ward)

base line 一 [symbol] + marking by line  [symbol]

A symbol () below a line serving as base (一). Opposite of “up 上 [shàng], ” and can be used differently as verb.

224) 且

qie

and

Meat is piled in layers on a cutting board (一) for the honoring of ancestors. As layers of meat are laid one after the other, meaning of and is derived from here.

224ax) 女

nu

female; woman

224a) 姐

jie

(elder) sister

woman 女⁹⁶[nǚ] + cutting board/and 且 [qiě]

224yx) 纟

si

224y-132f*) 组

zu

organize

thread 纟 [sī] + cutting board/and 且²²⁴[qiě]

“且”is a description of a cutting board with slices of meat piled on it and means ‘layers of.’ Weaving is the result of thread(纟) being layered together (且). This character also means ‘to organize.’

224zx) 礻

shi

show

altar

224z-126j*) 祖

zu

ancestor

altar/show 礻=示 [shì] + cutting board/and 且²²⁴[qiě]

To place a cutting board (且) full of meat on the altar (礻) as an offering to one’s ancestors.

224wx) 禾

he

224w-139d*) 租

zu

rent

rice plant 禾 [hé] + cutting board/and 且²²⁴[qiě]

Sheaves of rice (禾) stacked in a corner to pay as rent looks like meat on a chopping board (且) ready to be offered to the gods.

224bx) 力

li

224b) 助

zhu

help

cutting board/and 且 [qiě] + power 力¹⁵⁹[lì]

Meaning of to help is derived as people pile together their efforts (力) like the meat on the cutting board (且).

224cx) 木

mu

224c) 查

cha

check; investigate

tree 木²¹⁰[mù] + cutting board/and 且 [qiě]

One needs to investigate whether woods (木) are straight enough to be piled or stacked together – as in the meat on cutting board (且) – to make a raft of timber.

224dx) 宀

mian

224d) 宜

yi

suitable

house 宀¹⁴¹[mián] + cutting board/and 且 [qiě]

an act of honoring the ancestors in a home (宀), which is considered appropriate and suitable, with the meat piled on a cutting board (且).

224e) 谊

yi

friendship

word 讠=言²²[yán] + suitable 宜 [yí]

Friendship between two close friends can become stronger when appropriate (宜) words (讠) are used politely.

225) 丁

ding

man; fourth

Signifies head (一) of a nail (亅). A bigger head means easier to drive the nail; consequently, meaning of a man is derived as his head (一) is grown with power to spare (亅) in work.

225yx) 扌

shou

225y-31c*) 打

da

beat

hand 扌=手 [shǒu] + nail/man 丁²²⁵[dīng]

Using one’s hand (扌) to hold a hammer and hit a nail (丁).

225zx) 火

huo

fire

225z-158a*) 灯

deng

lamp

fire 火 [huǒ] + lamp stand/man 丁²²⁵[dīng]

Signifies a lamp fire (火) burning on top of a lampstand (丁).

225ax) 高

gao

225a) 亭

ting

pavilion

high 高³[gāo] + nail/man 丁 [dīng]

Signifies a gazebo, that is built to rise high (高) on a scenic area that allows one to sit down (丁) and enjoy.

225b) 停

sting

stop; stay

person 亻⁷⁰[rén] + pavilion 亭 [tíng]

Signifies a person (亻) stopping by/staying inside a gazebo (亭) built in a beautiful scenic area.