筝

guzheng or long zither / long zither with 13 to 16 strings, developed from guqin 古琴 during Tang and Song times / Japanese koto

筝 character breakdown

筝
- 争
  - ⺈
  - 肀
- 竹
  - 丨
  - 亅
  - 亇
    - 亅
    - 人
      - 丿
      - ㇏
    - ⺈
  - 𠂉
    - 一
    - 丿

争

爭

zhe̅ng = zh + (e)ng1

to strive for / to vie for / to argue or debate / deficient or lacking (dialect) / how or what (literary)

争 = ⺈ + 肀 : Mnemonic symbol: The grim reaper, as 争 is often used in words involving war (...战争). In front of the engine ((e)ng1), the grim reaper (争) marks his next victims in passing. With a crayon (肀) he draws big "X"s on the crane (⺈) and James II of England (zh).

竹

zhú = zhu + Ø2

bamboo / CL:棵[ke1],支[zhi1],根[gen1] / Kangxi radical 118

竹 = 𠂉 + 丨 + 亅 : Julian Giant Squid (zhu) is weaving a bamboo basket (竹) in the space station's kitchen (Ø2). He is using a key (𠂉), a dinosaur bone (丨) and a crowbar (亅) as basis structure and connects the three stays by weaving soft bamboo (竹) around them.