厄立特里亚 (E lì tè lǐ yà) — Eritrea

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The shape 厄 may come from a drawing of a kneeling figure 卪 with a small stroke 厂 marking the knee.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

立 pictures a person standing on the ground.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 裡; 里 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 里 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (里, 里面) it is 裡; in others (公里) it is 里 or 裏.

The form 裡 pairs 衤 (clothes) with 里 as a sound component.

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 亞; 亚 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 亞 likely shows an overhead view of a construction, perhaps a 亞-shaped tomb. Its later simplified form 亚 is just a shorthand.