眼观四处，耳听八方

• 目(eye)RADICAL
• 艮(hard; stop)PHONO-SEMANTIC

Two eyes looking straight ahead, stubborn and resolute like the character for "firm."

• 囗(frame; surround)RADICAL
• 儿(person; foot)ASSOCIATIVE

Four sides of a square frame surround two legs — the ancient form of the number four.

• 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.

• 口(mouth; opening)RADICAL
• 斤(axe)PHONETIC

Using your mouth to listen to the sound of an axe chopping a tree echoing loudly.

• 八(eight (pictographic, two strokes separating))ASSOCIATIVE

Two strokes separated apart like two objects dividing represent the number eight.

• 方(direction; perpendicular (pictograph—plow or boat with oar))ASSOCIATIVE

A plow or oar shape represents the concept of direction or region.