指

finger / to point at or to / to indicate or refer to / to depend on / to count on / (of hair) to stand on end

指 = 扌 + 旨 : James II of England (zh) received another imperial decree (旨) In the space station (Ø3). Because his finger (指) nails (指甲) are so long, he has to use a toy claw (扌) to open the letter. In the decree it is written that he shall cut his finger nails because they are the only human objects than can be seen from earth without visual aide.

指 character breakdown

指
- 扌
  - 亅
  - 二
    - 一
- 旨
  - 匕
    - 丿
    - 乚
  - 日
    - 一
    - 囗

扌

shǒu = sh + ou3

"hand" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 64), occurring in 提, 把, 打 etc

扌 = 二 + 亅 : Mnemonic symbol: a toy claw.

旨

zhǐ = zh + Ø3

imperial decree / purport / aim / purpose

旨 = 匕 + 日 : James II of England (zh) received an imperial decree (旨) to read it to all the other inhabitants of the space station (Ø3). He reads to the sun (日) that from now on they'll have to wear a ladle (匕) as a hat, so both of them immediately put ladles on their heads.