• 目(eye)
• 艮(hard; stop)

Two eyes looking straight ahead, stubborn and resolute like the character for "firm."

• 穴(hole; gap)
• 牙(tooth)

Use your teeth to bite through a cave or hole – that's how to remember the character for piercing through.

• ⺼(flesh; body)
• 昜(shine; spread)

The intestines are the fleshy internal organs of the body, with the character pronounced like "yang."

• 米(grain; thread (symbolizing something cut))
• 斤(axe; chopping tool)

Using an axe to chop and sever threads — the image of breaking or cutting off.

• 目(eye)
• 艮(hard; stop)

Two eyes looking straight ahead, stubborn and resolute like the character for "firm."

• 穴(hole; gap)
• 牙(tooth)

Use your teeth to bite through a cave or hole – that's how to remember the character for piercing through.

• ⺼(flesh; body)
• 昜(shine; spread)

The intestines are the fleshy internal organs of the body, with the character pronounced like "yang."

• 米(grain; thread (symbolizing something cut))
• 斤(axe; chopping tool)

Using an axe to chop and sever threads — the image of breaking or cutting off.