正負

正

zhèng

负

負

fù

positive and negative

Characters and words in 正負

正

zhe̅ng = zh + (e)ng1

first month of the lunar year

正

zhèng = zh + (e)ng4

straight / upright / proper / main / principal / to correct / to rectify / exactly / just (at that time) / right (in that place) / (math.) positive

正 = 一 + 止 : Mnemonic symbol: a stick-figure with straight lines. James II of England (zh) really has to use the engine's bathroom ((e)ng4), but there's a stick-figure (正) blocking the stalls with a barrier (止). The stick-figure measures with a flute (一) whether James is tall enough to go. James stands very straight (正) to make himself as tall as possible.

负

負

fù = fu + Ø4

to bear / to carry (on one's back) / to turn one's back on / to be defeated / negative (math. etc)

负 = ⺈ + 贝 : Mnemonic symbol: an opossum (负鼠) who carries her babies on her back.

A few pals practice their cosplay on the space station's bathroom. They want to reenact the town musicians of Bremen, and so Frieda Fuchs stands at the bottom, the crab is on top of Frieda, the crane is on top of the crab, the opossum is on top of the crane, and the opossum carries her babies on her back.