勘

ka̅n = k + an1

to investigate / to survey / to collate

勘 = 力 + 甚 : Karl Marx (k) is chatting with an extremist (甚) in front of the anthill (an1) and would like to investigate (勘) that the power button (力) on the extremist's girdle is supposed to do.

勘 character breakdown

勘
- 力
  - 丿
  - ㇆
    - 一
    - 亅
- 甚
  - 匹
    - 儿
      - 丿
      - 乚
    - 匚
  - 甘
    - 二
      - 一
    - 卄
      - 一
      - 丨

力

lì = li + Ø4

power / force / strength / ability / strenuously

力 = ㇆ + 丿 : Mnemonic symbol: a power button.

Li Qingzhao (li) just had a shower in the space station's bathroom (Ø4) and wants to use the hair dryer, but there's no plug, just the bare end of the cable! She uses all her power to build an electricity plug, and for the two pins she uses a plough (㇆) and a banana (丿). Finally she hits a big power button (力) to turn the power on.

甚

shén = sh + (e)n2

variant of 什[shen2]

甚

shèn = sh + (e)n4

what / very / extremely / any

甚 = 匹 + 甘 : Mnemonic symbol: An extremist.

Sherlock Holmes is in the middle of one of his adventures: in the encampment's bathroom he found an extremist threatening a cow. With his keen eyes though he sees that the extremist's bombing belt is fake and just made out of bolts of thread, so he bravely jumps in to rescue the frightened cow.