秤

variant of 稱|称[cheng1], to weigh

steelyard / Roman balance / CL:臺|台[tai2]

秤 = 平 + 禾 : Charlie Chaplin (ch) wants to fry his cereals (禾) in a frying pan (平) in the engine's bathroom ((e)ng4). To get the quantity right he weighs his cereals with a steelyard (秤) first.

秤 character breakdown

秤
- 平
  - 丷
  - 干
    - 一
    - 十
      - 一
      - 丨
- 禾
  - 丿
  - 木
    - 八
      - 丿
      - ㇏
    - 十
      - 一
      - 丨

平

píng = pi + (e)ng2

surname Ping

平 = 丷 + 干 : Mnemonic symbol: a pan (平底锅) as it has a very flat and level surface.

Pocahontas (pi) is fighting with a crocodile (丷) just inside the engine's kitchen ((e)ng2). She's throwing so many dried fruits (干) at it that it's totally flat (平) soon. She gives it a last blow striking with a frying pan (平).

平

píng = pi + (e)ng2

flat / level / equal / to tie (make the same score) / to draw (score) / calm / peaceful / abbr. for 平聲|平声[ping2 sheng1]

禾

hé = h + e2

cereal / grain

禾 = 丿 + 木 : Mnemonic symbol: a bowl of cereals.

Hamlet (h) made himself a bowl of cereals (禾) with bananas (丿) and Christmas trees (木) in the elevator's kitchen (e2). He holds the bowl of cereals like he would hold Yorick's skull.