prefecture / (old) province / (old) administrative division / state (e.g. of US) / oblast (Russia) / canton (Switzerland)
州
=
丶
+
丷
+
川
:
Mnemonic symbol: the red cotton tree, as it is the official flower of 广州 (Guangzhou). A new river (川) formed spontaneously in front of the outhouse (ou1), and James II of England (zh) was barely able to climb on a red cotton tree (州). Other animals are happy about this development: a mean crocodile (丷) is floating on a petal leaf (丶) towards the red cotton tree.
local / regional / district (not necessarily formal administrative unit) / region / area / as suffix to city name, means prefecture or county (area administered by a prefecture-level city or, county-level city) / CL:個|个[ge4]
area / region / district / small / distinguish / CL:個|个[ge4]
區
=
匚
+
品
:
Cupid receives a metal box in front of the space station. He opens it and finds a road sign with a pyramid on it. Clever as he is, he derives that it must have been sent to him from the region of Egypt.
区
=
乂
+
匚
:
Mnemonic symbol: An alien from Area 51.
区
=
乂
+
匚
:
Cupid is chilling in front of the space station, when an alien from Area 51 flies by and gives him a metal box. Unfortunately, even using pliers, Cupid is too weak to open it.