台上一分钟，台下十年功

• 厶(private; personal)ASSOCIATIVE
• 口(mouth; speech)RADICAL

A platform is where a person uses their mouth to speak privately in front of a crowd.

• ⺊(dot above; high position)ASSOCIATIVE
• 一(standard baseline; norm)ASSOCIATIVE

A dot mark sitting above a horizontal line represents the meaning 'above'.

• 一(first; number one (pictographic))ASSOCIATIVE

A single horizontal stroke symbolizes the number one, the beginning of all things.

• 八(divide; separate; eight)ASSOCIATIVE
• 刀(knife; blade; sword)RADICAL

Using a knife to chop something in half represents division or separation.

• 釒(metal)RADICAL
• 重(heavy; bell; clock)PHONO-SEMANTIC

A heavy metal bell that both tells the time and resonates with sound.

• 一(horizontal line; boundary)RADICAL
• 卜(stroke descending downward)ASSOCIATIVE

A vertical stroke pointing downward across a boundary line marks 'below'.

• 十(number ten; cross shape)ASSOCIATIVE

Two intersecting strokes form a complete whole, symbolizing the number ten.

• 干(rice plant; grain stalk)ASSOCIATIVE

A mature grain stalk represents one harvest season, which symbolizes one year.

• 工(labor; boatman)ASSOCIATIVE
• 力(strength; power)RADICAL

Merit and achievement come from using strength to labor.