contrary / in reverse / inside out or upside down / to reverse / to return / to oppose / opposite / against / anti- / to rebel / to use analogy / instead / abbr. for 反切[fan3 qie4] phonetic system
反
=
⺁
+
又
:
A protester (mnemonic symbol for 反) makes a racket in the anthill's living room (an3). He's got a huge banana tree (⺁) with him and wants to protest against the exploitation of banana farm workers. Frankenstein's Monster (f) is annoyed by him and punches him with a boxing glove (又).
斜
=
余
+
斗
:
Marie Curie (xi) has the matador (斗) pull her sedan chair (余) through the elevator's kitchen (e2). Since there is no-one at the rear end of the sedan chair, the end just drags over the ground and the sedan chair is very slanted (斜), just like a slanting tower.
杠
=
工
+
木
:
In the anglepod's bathroom (ang4) Guy Fawkes (g) finds a steel beam (工) under the Christmas tree (木). He sharpens it like a knife (杠) to obtain a pole (杠) and starts practicing pole (杠) dancing.
coffin-bearing pole (old) / thick pole / bar / rod / thick line / to mark with a thick line / to sharpen (a knife, razor etc) / to get into a dispute with / standard / criterion
杠
=
工
+
木
:
In the anglepod's bathroom (ang4) Guy Fawkes (g) finds a steel beam (工) under the Christmas tree (木). He sharpens it like a knife (杠) to obtain a pole (杠) and starts practicing pole (杠) dancing.