人往高处爬，水往低处流

• 人(person; human (pictographic))ASSOCIATIVE

The character 人 depicts a person standing with legs spread wide apart for stability.

• 彳(step; action)RADICAL
• 王(king)PHONETIC

A step of the foot going toward the king's house means moving forward or heading toward something.

• 高(tall; high; tower; tall building)ASSOCIATIVE

A tall tower reaching high is drawn with a roof, gate, and stacked foundation layers piled on top of each other.

• 夂(slow step; walk down slowly)RADICAL
• 卜(divination; fortune-telling)PHONETIC

A place is where people slow their steps to divine where they should stop and rest.

• 爪(claw; talon)RADICAL
• 巴(stick closely; adhere tightly)PHONO-SEMANTIC

A bull crawling forward uses its claws gripping tightly into the ground to advance.

• 水(water (pictographic))ASSOCIATIVE

Water mimics the flow of running water with ripples on both sides.

• 亻(person; human; man)RADICAL
• 氐(low foundation; root base)PHONO-SEMANTIC

A person bending down to the roots is truly at the lowest point.

• 氵(water)RADICAL
• 㐬(swirling flow; whirlpool)PHONETIC

Water flowing in a whirlpool becomes a stream, which is the circulation of water.