国
=
囗
+
玉
:
Mnemonic symbol: a nation's flag. Let's say the Chinese flag.
In the observatory's kitchen (o2) Gitta Giraffe (gu) is practising her ballet performance. She got a whole crate (囗) full of jade bracelets (玉) and flags (国) and fixed one flag to each jade bracelet. This makes a perfect combination for throwing the ring with the flag waving behind it and catching the ring again after a few pirouettes.
菜
=
艹
+
采
:
The King oh Chu (c) is busy preparing a dish (菜) in the airplane's bathroom (ai4). He is using two plectrums (采) to pluck out parts of a mat of artificial lawn (艹).