戳穿试验

• 翟(peacock; long-feathered bird)PHONETIC
• 戈(spear; weapon)RADICAL

A spear pierces through like a peacock feather cutting through air, creating a poke mark.

• 穴(hole; gap)RADICAL
• 牙(tooth)PHONO-SEMANTIC

Use your teeth to bite through a cave or hole – that's how to remember the character for piercing through.

• 言(word; speech)RADICAL
• 式(pattern; rule)PHONO-SEMANTIC

A test uses words to check whether something follows the rules correctly.

• 馬(horse)RADICAL
• 僉(all; unanimous)PHONETIC

Testing is like trying out a horse — you must let everyone examine it together to know if it's real or fake.