人
=
丿
+
㇏
:
Mnemonic symbol: Neanderthal Man (人). Robinson Crusoe (r-) is looking for snacks in the encampment's kitchen (-en2) when he suddenly spots Neanderthal Man (人). Neanderthal Man offers him a banana (丿), but Robinson Crusoe doesn't trust the present and pokes it with a finger (㇏).
ability / talent / sb of a certain type / a capable individual / then and only then / just now / (before an expression of quantity) only
才
=
一
+
亅
+
丿
:
Mnemonic symbol: from "ability / talent", the special ability of X-ray vision.
The King of Chu (c) has been bitten by a X-ray tube and has gained the special ability (才) of X-ray vision. In the airplane's kitchen (ai2), he holds a banana (丿) in each hand; through his x-ray vision ability, he is able to see that in one of them there's a crowbar (亅) hidden, in the other one a flute (一).