awkward / clumsy / dull / inelegant / (polite) my / Taiwan pr. [zhuo2]
拙
=
出
+
扌
:
Julian Giant Squid (zhu) wants to use the emergency exit (出) in front of the observatory (o1), but it has to be operated using eight toy claws (扌) at the same time. Julian Giant Squid is just too clumsy (拙) to do so and so he is unable to open the emergency exit door.
straight / to straighten / fair and reasonable / frank / straightforward / (indicates continuing motion or action) / vertical / vertical downward stroke in Chinese characters
直
=
十
+
目
+
一
:
Mnemonic symbol: someone straight edge. James II of England (zh) decided to go straight edge (直) in the space station's kitchen (Ø2), and he also decided that this means he won't listen to music anymore. The Eye of Providence (目) promptly plays some music on its flute (一) to tease him, whereupon the James II of England defends himself by holding up a cross (十).