密尔沃基 (mì ěr wò jī) — Milwaukee (city in Wisconsin, USA)

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

密 pairs 山 (mountain) with 宓 (mì), which gives the pronunciation, to picture something hidden in the mountains, hence secret.

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

假借jiǎjièLater borrowed for its sound alone — the picture has nothing to do with today’s meaning.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 爾; 尔 is its simplified writing.

The traditional form 爾, simplified as 尔, originally drew cloth on a loom with crossing threads. It was borrowed for its sound to write “you,” so the picture is unrelated to that meaning.

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

沃 combines 氵 (water) with 夭 giving the sound; the shape shows irrigating with water.

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

The lower 土 means earth, and the upper 其 gives the sound; together they form the idea of a foundation of earth.