肃北蒙古族自治县

• ⼔(person turning back; figure of person from behind)ASSOCIATIVE

Two people standing back-to-back represent North, the direction ancients faced away from.

• 忄(heart; mind)RADICAL
• 蒙(cover; dim)PHONO-SEMANTIC

A mind covered and obscured in darkness becomes muddled and lacks clarity.

• 十(ten)ASSOCIATIVE
• 口(mouth; speech)RADICAL

Ten mouths passing word down through generations—that is something ancient.

• 方(flag; banner (tribal standard))RADICAL
• 矢(arrow tip; arrowhead)ASSOCIATIVE

A tribe gathers under a flag, with hands gripping arrows ready for battle.

• 自(nose (pictographic) → self; body)ASSOCIATIVE

Ancient people pointed to their nose when saying "I," so the character for nose also means self.

• 氵(water; liquid)RADICAL
• 台(platform; foundation)PHONO-SEMANTIC

A solid foundation is used to control the flow of water.

• 且(pile up; temporary)ASSOCIATIVE
• 厶(private; personal)PHONETIC

A district is a small administrative unit stacked beneath the province, like layers piled on top of each other.