曲
=
囗
+
卄
:
Mnemonic symbol: a harp. Cupid (qu) is playing a harp (曲) in the space station's living room (Ø3). He's sitting on a big enclosure (囗), playing the harp (曲) and wielding a double axe (卄) at the same time.
卄
=
一
+
丨
:
Mnemonic symbol: a double axe. Here's why: 20 -> XX -> "double-x" -> "double axe". Nefertiti (ni) is rebuilding her kingdom in the anthill's bathroom (an4). She's shaping twenty (卄) dinosaur bones (丨) with a double axe (卄) and stacking them on top of one (一) flute (一).
peasant / to farm / agriculture / diligent (old) / government field official (old)
农
=
冖
+
𧘇
:
Nelson Newt (nu) started a monoculture (农) in the engine's kitchen ((e)ng2). He set up melon plants on top of the stones, and the melons are hanging down to the sides. Just above the melons he set up cooking tops (冖) to provide some shade. To water his plants, he has to climb up a step ladder (𧘇).
农
=
冖
+
𧘇
:
Nelson Newt (nu) started a monoculture (农) in the engine's kitchen ((e)ng2). He set up melon plants on top of the stones, and the melons are hanging down to the sides. Just above the melons he set up cooking tops (冖) to provide some shade. To water his plants, he has to climb up a step ladder (𧘇).
canon / law / standard work of scholarship / literary quotation or allusion / ceremony / to be in charge of / to mortgage or pawn
典
=
八
+
曲
:
Mnemonic symbol: a head cannon. Dorothy Gale (di) is playing the harp (曲) inside the anthill's living room (an3) while shooting an eight ball (八) from her head cannon (典).
class or grade / generation / plaintiff and defendant (old) / government department (old)
曹
=
一
+
曰
+
曲
:
Mnemonic symbol: a Chinese / white herring.
The King of Chu (c) called Cao Cao too often (曹) and now he's about to enter the aorta (ao2). To pay him respect the King of Chu plays a flute (一) and the Chinese / white herring (曹) plays a harp (曲). They also record their performance with a microphone (曰).
曹
=
一
+
曰
+
曲
:
Mnemonic symbol: a Chinese / white herring.
The King of Chu (c) called Cao Cao too often (曹) and now he's about to enter the aorta (ao2). To pay him respect the King of Chu plays a flute (一) and the Chinese / white herring (曹) plays a harp (曲). They also record their performance with a microphone (曰).
Four Great Yuan Dramatists, namely: Guan Hanqing 關漢卿|关汉卿[Guan1 Han4 qing1], Zheng Guangzu 鄭光祖|郑光祖[Zheng4 Guang1 zu3], Ma Zhiyuan 馬致遠|马致远[Ma3 Zhi4 yuan3] and Bai Pu 白樸|白朴[Bai2 Pu3]