牺
=
牛
+
西
:
Marie Curie (xi) is selling an ox (牛) for cheap in front of the space station (Ø1) as a loss leader (牺). To pepper the ox a little up she puts a cowboy hat (西) on his head.
牲
=
牛
+
生
:
The bull (牛) got a child and is watching over it in its cradle (生) in front of the engine ((e)ng1). He has to be very attentive because Sherlock Holmes (sh) wants to use the newborn as a sacrificial animal (牲).
(after a verb or adjective) one who (is) ... / (after a noun) person involved in ... / -er / -ist / (used after a number or 後|后[hou4] or 前[qian2] to refer to sth mentioned previously) / (used after a term, to mark a pause before defining the term) / (old) (used at the end of a command) / (old) this
者
=
⺹
+
日
:
Mnemonic symbol: the sun (日) is wearing a crown (⺹). This reminds me of Louis XIV, le Roi Soleil, the Sun King, which will thus be the mnemonic symbol for 者. The crown (⺹) wearing sun (日), the Sun King (者) and James II of England (zh) are taking part in a writing contest in the elevator's living room (e3) to see who of them is the best author (作者).