女+子=好hǎo
女 semantic — woman. the left half of the meaning.
子 semantic — child. the right half — a woman with her child was the ancient scribes' very picture of 'good'.
good; fine; nice; O.K.
亻+尔=你nǐ
亻 semantic — person (side form). The person radical — this word is about a PERSON (a human you address).
尔 phonetic — you (archaic) / that. Pure sound hint: 尔 (ěr) carries the reading toward nǐ. It tells your ear, not your eye.
you
女+马=妈mā
女 semantic — woman. 女 (woman) fixes the meaning-domain: this is a female family member.
马 phonetic — horse. 马 (mǎ, horse) is here ONLY for its sound — mǎ → mā. It has nothing to do with horses.
mom, mother
口+丩=叫jiào
口 semantic — mouth. 口 (mouth) — anything you do with your voice. It flags the meaning-domain of speech.
丩 phonetic — entwine (sound component). 丩 (jiū) supplies the sound: jiū → jiào.
to be called; to call, to shout
日+月=明míng
日 semantic — sun, day. the sun —
月 semantic — moon; month. — and the moon, the two brightest things in the sky. Put them together and you get 'bright'.
bright; clear (明天 = tomorrow)
亻+木=休xiū
亻 semantic — person (side form). a person —
木 semantic — tree, wood. — leaning against a tree. A person + a tree = taking a REST.
to rest (休息 = to rest)
木+木=林lín
木 semantic — tree, wood. one tree —
木 semantic — tree, wood. — plus another tree = a wood.
woods, grove
木+木=森sēn
木 semantic — tree, wood. one tree on top —
木 semantic — tree, wood. — over two more. Three trees = a dense forest.
forest; dense
亻+也=他tā
亻 semantic — person (side form). the person radical — this word is about a human.
也 phonetic — also (sound component). 也 (yě) is only here for its sound → tā. (Swap 亻 for 女 and you get 她, 'she', same sound.)
he, him
口+马=吗ma
口 semantic — mouth. 口 (mouth) — it's a spoken particle, something you say.
马 phonetic — horse. 马 (mǎ) gives the sound only → ma. Turns any statement into a question: 你好吗？
(yes/no question particle)
女+且=姐jiě
女 semantic — woman. 女 (woman) — a female family member.
且 phonetic — moreover (sound component). 且 (qiě) supplies the sound → jiě.
older sister (姐姐)
女+未=妹mèi
女 semantic — woman. 女 (woman) — again fixes the meaning-domain.
未 phonetic — not yet (sound component). 未 (wèi) carries the sound → mèi.
younger sister (妹妹)
宀+子=字zì
宀 semantic — roof. 宀 (roof) over —
子 semantic — child. — 子 (child). A child under a roof: originally 'to raise/nurture', extended to 'written character'.
character, written word (名字 = name)
讠+青=请qǐng
讠 semantic — speech (side form of 言). 讠 (speech radical) — a word about speaking / politeness.
青 phonetic — blue-green (sound component). 青 (qīng) supplies the sound → qǐng.
please; to invite (请问 = may I ask)
讠+射=谢xiè
讠 semantic — speech (side form of 言). 讠 (speech radical) — again, a word you say.
射 phonetic — to shoot (sound component). 射 (shè) is only the sound hint → xiè.
to thank (谢谢 = thank you)
口+乞=吃chī
口 semantic — mouth. 口 (mouth) — of course eating is about the mouth.
乞 phonetic — to beg (sound component). 乞 (qǐ) gives the approximate sound → chī.
to eat (吃饭 = to eat a meal)
女+也=她tā
女 semantic — woman. 女 (woman) — the meaning half: a female person.
也 phonetic — also (sound component). 也 (yě) is the same sound half as in 他 → tā.
she, her
亻+门=们men
亻 semantic — person (side form). 亻 (person) — it pluralizes people.
门 phonetic — door, gate. 门 (mén, door) gives the sound → men.
(plural marker for people: 我们 we, 你们 you-all)
讠+兑=说shuō
讠 semantic — speech (side form of 言). 讠 (speech) — of course 'to speak' carries the speech radical.
兑 phonetic — exchange (sound component). 兑 (duì) supplies the sound → shuō.
to speak, to say
口+曷=喝hē
口 semantic — mouth. 口 (mouth) — drinking happens at the mouth, like 吃 (eat).
曷 phonetic — why/how (sound component). 曷 (hé) gives the sound → hē.
to drink
口+尼=呢ne
口 semantic — mouth. 口 (mouth) — a spoken particle, like 吗.
尼 phonetic — (Buddhist) nun (sound component). 尼 (ní) gives the sound → ne.
(follow-up question particle: 你呢? and you?)
日+生=星xīng
日 semantic — sun, day. 日 (sun) — a star is a celestial body of light, so it takes the sun radical.
生 phonetic — to be born; life; raw. 生 (shēng) gives the sound → xīng.
star (星期 = week)
父+巴=爸bà
父 semantic — father. 父 (father) — the meaning half, sitting on top.
巴 phonetic — (sound component). 巴 (bā) gives the sound → bà.
dad, father (爸爸)
田+力=男nán
田 semantic — field, cropland. 田 (field) on top —
力 semantic — strength, power. — 力 (strength) below. The one who uses his strength in the fields: a man.
male, man
日+寸=时shí
日 semantic — sun, day. 日 (sun) — time was told by the sun, so the sun radical marks time words.
寸 phonetic — inch; a little. 寸 (cùn) here mainly carries the shape/sound of the simplified form → shí.
time; o'clock (时候 = time; 几点 uses it)
相+心=想xiǎng
相 phonetic — mutual; appearance (sound component). 相 (xiāng) sits on top and gives the sound → xiǎng.
心 semantic — heart; mind. 心 (heart) at the bottom — in Chinese, thinking and wanting happen in the heart.
to think; to want; to miss (someone)
氵+尼=泥ní
氵 semantic — water (side form of 水). 氵 (water) — cement is a water-based paste; the water radical flags the wet-trade meaning.
尼 phonetic — (Buddhist) nun (sound component). 尼 (ní) gives the sound → ní. The same 尼 you met in 呢.
mud → 水泥 = cement
将+水=浆jiāng
将 phonetic — will; general (sound component). 将 (jiāng) sits on top purely for the sound → jiāng.
水 semantic — water. 水 (water) at the foot — a grout is a pourable water-based mix.
slurry, thick liquid → 灌浆 = grouting
禾+呈=程chéng
禾 semantic — grain, standing crop. 禾 (grain) — originally a measure/standard of grain, generalised to 'procedure, rule, project'.
呈 phonetic — to present (sound component). 呈 (chéng) supplies the sound → chéng.
procedure → 工程 = engineering, 土木工程 = civil eng.
木+勾=构gòu
木 semantic — tree, wood. 木 (wood/timber) — structures were framed in timber, so the wood radical marks building words.
勾 phonetic — hook; to tick a box (sound component). 勾 (gōu) gives the sound → gòu.
to construct → 结构 = structure
木+旦=查chá
木 structural — tree, wood. 木 (wood) — the original graph was a wooden object; it now just anchors the top.
旦 phonetic — dawn, daybreak. 旦 (dàn, dawn) is the sound/shape base; the character was borrowed for 'to examine'.
to inspect, check → 检查 = inspection
王+里=理lǐ
王 semantic — king; jade (left-side radical 玉). 王 here is the JADE radical 玉 — 'to work jade along its grain', i.e. to order/manage sensibly.
里 phonetic — inside; village; ½-km (sound component). 里 (lǐ) supplies the sound → lǐ.
to manage; logic → 监理 = site supervisor, 经理 = manager
夕+口=名míng
夕 semantic — evening, dusk. 夕 (evening/dusk) —
口 semantic — mouth. — 口 (mouth). In the evening dark you can't be seen, so you call out your NAME with your mouth.
name → 签名 = signature
扌+比=批pī
扌 semantic — hand (side form of 手). 扌 (hand) — approving is a hand-action: you sign, you mark, you strike through.
比 phonetic — to compare (sound component). 比 (bǐ) supplies the sound → pī.
to approve; to mark up → 批准 = to approve
牛+口=告gào
牛 semantic — ox, cow. 牛 (ox) —
口 semantic — mouth. — 口 (mouth). An ox lowing = an announcement carried far. Hence 'to report / announce'.
to tell, to report → 报告 = a report
氵+青=清qīng
氵 semantic — water (side form of 水). 氵 (water) — 'clear' like clean water; a 清单 is a clean, itemised list.
青 phonetic — blue-green (sound component). 青 (qīng) supplies the sound → qīng. The same 青 you met in 请.
clear → 清单 = checklist (punch list = 整改清单)
人+口=合hé
人 semantic — person. 人 (a lid/gathering, from 人) drawn over —
口 semantic — mouth. — 口 (mouth). Mouths brought together under one cover = agreement, 'to join'.
to join, to fit → 合同 = contract
亻+介=价jià
亻 semantic — person (side form). 亻 (person) — value/price is set between people, in trade.
介 phonetic — to lie between (sound component). 介 (jiè) supplies the sound → jià.
price, value → 价格 = price
辶+尺=迟chí
辶 semantic — walk, movement (radical). 辶 (walk/movement) — lateness is about motion arriving behind time.
尺 phonetic — a foot (ruler); to measure (sound component). 尺 (chǐ) gives the sound → chí.
late, to delay → 推迟 = to postpone
化+贝=货huò
化 phonetic — to change, transform (sound component). 化 (huà) sits on top for the sound → huò.
贝 semantic — cowrie shell = money / value. 贝 (cowrie = money) at the foot — goods are things of monetary value, traded for shells.
goods, cargo → 发货 = to ship goods
木+反=板bǎn
木 semantic — tree, wood. 木 (wood) — a board is a flat piece of timber.
反 phonetic — to reverse, opposite (sound component). 反 (fǎn) supplies the sound → bǎn.
board, plank → 老板 = boss
钅+冈=钢gāng
钅 semantic — metal / gold (side form of 金). 钅 (metal radical) — steel is a metal; this radical flags all hardware.
冈 phonetic — ridge, hill (sound component). 冈 (gāng) supplies the sound → gāng.
steel → 钢筋 = rebar (reinforcing steel)
木+莫=模mú
木 semantic — tree, wood. 木 (wood) — forms and moulds were traditionally timber; the wood radical marks them.
莫 phonetic — do not; none (sound component). 莫 (mò) supplies the sound → mú.
mould, template → 模板 = formwork
宀+女=安ān
宀 semantic — roof. 宀 (roof) over —
女 semantic — woman. — 女 (woman). A woman safe under a roof = peace, security, 'safe'.
peace, safe → 安全 = safety
人+王=全quán
人 semantic — person. 人 (a cover/roof, from 人) over —
王 semantic — king; jade (left-side radical 玉). — 王, here the JADE 玉. Flawless jade kept whole under cover = 'complete, entire'.
whole, complete → 安全 = safety
西+示=票piào
西 structural — west. 西 flattened to 覀 sits on top (a 'cover' shape).
示 semantic — to show; altar (radical). 示 (to show / altar) — a formal document shown for record. Hence a slip / note / bill.
ticket, slip → 发票 = invoice / receipt
Green = the part that carries meaning · Blue = the part that only hints at the sound. This is the whole trick behind ~80% of Chinese characters. Full stroke order + etymology lives in the Hanzi Deconstructor.