to be / to act as / manage / withstand / when / during / ought / should / match equally / equal / same / obstruct / just at (a time or place) / on the spot / right / just at
当
=
小
+
彐
:
This character looks like an angry pitbull. 小 forms the eyes and maybe nose, and 彐 are the dangerous teeth.
当
=
小
+
彐
:
Don Quixote opposes a dangerous pit bull in front of the anglepod, and he tries to calm him down with a daisy.
(possessive particle, literary equivalent of 的[de5]) / him / her / it
之
=
丶
+
Z
:
Mnemonic symbol: Sooo sleepy... "zZz" (the character looks like a "Z"). James II of England (zh) fell asleep in front of the space station (Ø1). He sleeps on a big petal leaf (丶), making loud "zZz" (之) sounds.
not to have / no / none / not / to lack / un- / -less
无
=
一
+
𠂇
+
乚
:
Mnemonic symbol: the philosopher Diogenes, who has nothing and wants nothing.
无
=
一
+
𠂇
+
乚
:
Just inside the space station's entrance, Diogenes is annoyed by Willy Walrus, who's playing his flute. Diogenes just wants a peaceful time without being disturbed, so he cuts the flute into pieces with a pair of scissors, and threatens to beat Willy Walrus with a shovel should he annoy Diogenes again.
Mnemonic symbol: 無爲, wu2 wei2, the state of non-doing after having attained complete harmony with the Tao.
Willy Walrus (w) has attained Wu Wei (無) just inside the space station's entrance (Ø2), while from the outside it may seem like he is napping.
愧
=
忄
+
鬼
:
The demon (鬼) accepted a quest to slay Karl Koala (ku) with a flail (忄), but when he sees super cute Karl with his big eyes in the Eiffel Tower's bathroom (ei4) the demon suddenly feels very ashamed (愧) that he wanted to slay such a cute animal for no reason.
愧
=
忄
+
鬼
:
The demon (鬼) accepted a quest to slay Karl Koala (ku) with a flail (忄), but when he sees super cute Karl with his big eyes in the Eiffel Tower's bathroom (ei4) the demon suddenly feels very ashamed (愧) that he wanted to slay such a cute animal for no reason.