down / downwards / below / lower / later / next (week etc) / second (of two parts) / to decline / to go down / to arrive at (a decision, conclusion etc) / measure word to show the frequency of an action
下
=
一
+
卜
:
Mnemonic symbol: from the up/down logic, and a little bit the shape of the character, a ladder.
Xi Shi (xi) is on a retreat in the ashram. Using a voodoo staff (卜), she divined that next (下) week she'll have to play the flute (一) sixteen hours per day. Because she hates playing the flute, she climbs over the ashram's bathroom (a4) wall using a ladder (下) to escape.
to assign / to appoint / to take up a post / office / responsibility / to let / to allow / to give free rein to / no matter (how, what etc) / classifier for terms served in office, or for spouses, girlfriends etc (as in 前任男友)
任
=
亻
+
壬
:
An assignment written down on a heap of paper. Robinson Crusoe agreed to take care of Rosa Luxemburg's cat o' nine tails for a few days. Rosa wrote down his assignment on paper and handles him the heap in the encampment's bathroom.