木

mu

tree, timber, wood

a tree by combining branches (一), root (symbol), and the stem (丨). 

本

ben

root, origin, basis

根本 root system; 基本 fundamental; 本来 originally

成本 cost (root investment); 本钱 capital (root money)

书本 book (root of knowledge); 本质 essence, nature

日本 Japan - "Sun-origin" (where the sun "roots")

A horizontal line (一) is added into the bottom of “木” to emphasize its root

体

ti

body; form

字体 font, typeface; 体制 system, structure

person's foundation is his body

末

mo

end, final, tip

末期 final phase; 末班车 last bus/train; 始末 beginning and end

末梢 tip of branch; 末流 inferior category; 粉末 powder - crushed "tips"

a horizontal line (一) is added into top of “木” to emphasize that location is the end.

衤

yi

袜

wa

socks

袜子 socks; 一双袜子 a pair of socks;

clothing (衤) which one wears on the very tip (末) of one's body are socks

未

wei

not yet, have not;

future

未来 future (lit. not yet come); 尚未 still not yet

未成年 underage; 未尝 have never; 未完成 unfinished

A shorter horizontal line (一) is added into top of tree “木” to emphasize that the growth is not yet finished

妹

mei

(younger) sister

a girl (女) who is not yet (未) older — that's your younger sister

术

shu

method, technique

skill, art

战术 military tactics; 武术 martial arts; 学术 academia

医术 medical skill

Originally it used to signify millet, a crop (木) that has smaller (丶) grain than rice. Millet is a crop that is easy to grow even on barren land of considerable size; therefore, it required skills to manage millet growing

隹

zhui

(short-tailed) bird

Signifies a small bird which looked at from its side. While “鸟[niǎo]” is used to and signify long-tailed and larger birds, this character is a general term to mean ‘short-tailed and smaller birds.’

集

ji

to gather, to collect

集市 market (where people gather); 诗集 shījí, "poetry collection"

Just as birds (隹) on a tree gather, humans assemble for trade or community

果

guo

fruit; result

效果 effect; 成果 achievement; 结果 result, outcome; 

后果 consequence; 如果  – if (lit. in case of result)

A crop field (田) hanging from trees (木) signifies fruits hanging from tree branches.

棵

ke

measure word for plants

 两棵花 two flowers; 棵树 one tree

Symbolizes naming of a fruit tree (木) by looking at what fruit (果) it bears

讠

yan

课

ke

lesson, subject, class

课题 research topic; 语文课 language class

a teacher speaking (讠), and the students gaining fruits (果) from that speech— a knowledge delivered from a lesson

朵

duo

measure words for small rounded objects; cluster

花朵 flower cluster; 一朵玫瑰 a rose; 几朵白云 a few white clouds

a blossom (几) growing from a stem (木), that looks like a soft little drooping

This character depicts the image of a tree (木) whose branches are waving and drooping (几) in the wind. It is also used as ‘units to count flower, cloud or anything similar to them.’