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.
周
=
⺆
+
土
+
口
:
Mnemonic symbol: a hula hoop. James II of England (zh) performs in front of the outhouse (ou1): he swings a hula hoop (周), juggles three mandarins (口) and balances a small heap of dirt (土) on his head. He cheated a little bit though, because he stapled the heap of dirt to his wig with a stapler (⺆).