借

jiè = ji + e4

to lend / to borrow / by means of / to take (an opportunity)

借 = 亻 + 昔 : Rosa Luxemburg (亻) and Joan of Arc (ji) are enjoying milkshakes (昔) in the elevator's bathroom (e4). To let each other taste the other's milkshake, they lend (借) them each other.

借

藉

jiè = ji + e4

variant of 借[jie4]

借 character breakdown

借
- 亻
  - 丨
  - 丿
- 昔
  - 井
    - 丨
    - 丿
    - 二
      - 一
  - 日
    - 一
    - 囗

亻

rén = r + (e)n2

"person" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 9)

亻 = 丿 + 丨 : Mnemonic symbol: Rosa Luxemburg. She's quite radical, and her name starts with "r", just like "ren2". Also, 亻appears at the left-hand side of characters, and Rosa is a leftist as well.

Robinson Crusoe (r) and Rosa Luxemburg (亻) are having their favorite snacks in the encampment's kitchen: Rosa is eating a banana (丿) and Robinson is eating a dinosaur bone (丨).

昔

xi̅ = xi + Ø1

former times / the past / Taiwan pr. [xi2]

昔 = 井 + 日 : Mnemonic symbol: From 奶昔, milkshake

In former times (昔), at the end of the day the sun (日) used to go down in a well (井) in front of the space station (Ø1). Xi Shi (xi) made the sun go out by pouring a milk shake (mnemonic symbol for 昔) over it.