酌

to pour wine / to drink wine / to deliberate / to consider

酌 = 勺 + 酉 : Julian Giant Squid (zhu) is serving the rooster (酉) wine in the observatory's kitchen (o2) by pouring (酌) wine on a silver spoon (勺) and feeding the rooster with the spoon.

酌 character breakdown

酌
- 勺
  - 丶
  - 勹
    - 丿
    - ㇆
      - 一
      - 亅
- 酉
  - 一
  - 兀
    - 一
    - 儿
      - 丿
      - 乚
  - 日
    - 一
    - 囗
  - 西
    - 兀
      - 一
      - 儿
        
        丿
        
        乚
    - 口
    - 囗

勺

sháo = sh + ao2

spoon / ladle / CL:把[ba3] / abbr. for 公勺[gong1 shao2], centiliter (unit of volume)

勺 = 丶 + 勹 : Mnemonic symbol: as 勺 should not be confused with 匕 (ladle), the mnemonic symbol for 勺 is a small silver spoon.

Sherlock Holmes (sh) feeds an elephant (勹) medicine in the aorta's kitchen (ao2). The medicine looks like a petal leaf (丶), and Sherlock Holmes uses a small silver spoon (勺) to feed it to the elephant.

酉

yǒu = y + ou3

10th earthly branch: 5-7 p.m., 8th solar month (8th September-7th October), year of the Rooster / ancient Chinese compass point: 270° (west)

酉 = 兀 + 日 : The rooster and Maud Younger are taking part in a re-enactment in the outhouse. They re-enact former times by getting up with sunrise; the rooster stands on top of the sun and crows so that everybody gets up, and Maud Younger plays a traditional sihu fiddle.