三番五次

三 = 一 + 二 : Mnemonic symbol: a Cartesian coordinate system with three (三) axes.

Socrates (s-) is performing in front of the anthill (-an1). He created an electrical flute by attaching a large capacitor (二) to the flute (一), so that he can get the attention of all the ants. Moreover, he's balancing on a Cartesian coordinate system (三). Unfortunately, only three (三) ants stop to watch the performance.

番 = 田 + 釆 : Frankenstein's Monster (f) is growing tomatoes (番) from a foreign country (番) on a field (田) in front of the anthill (an1). From time to time he uses a sampling tool (釆) to draw some ketchup (番) to see if the tomatoes are ready yet.

五 = 王 + 丨 : Mnemonic symbol: a pentagram.

Martin Luther King (王) helps Willy Walrus (w) to construct a pentagram (五) out of dinosaur bones (丨) inside the space station (Ø3).

五 = 工 + 乛 : Mnemonic symbol: a pentagram.

In the space station (Ø3), Willy Walrus (w) chops up a steel beam (工) with a sickle (乛) into five (五) equal parts. He uses the five parts to assemble a steel pentagram (五).

次 = 冫 + 欠 : Mnemonic symbol: the cube, as in words involving 三次 relate to "cubic equations" or "cube (third power)". The King of Chu (c) pulls a popsicle (冫) out of the cube (次) in the space station's bathroom (Ø4) and leaves an IOU note (欠) on the cube.