里 li3

dirt tu3 土
IN a field 田tian2

In, Lining the idea is also the LIning INside of a coat. 裡 li3

黑／黒 hei1

Black. Both these mean black. They are the image of a person with a blackened face, their face is blackened with ash. The character has been simplified from a picture of a big man (da4 ren de da). His face is up on top with  2 dots of ash to show the idea of BLACK DARK. These are the same character one is a Japanese variant.

Four burning coals on the bottom, two dots of ash on the face in China, no need to bother with the extra 2 dots in Japan.

墨 mo4

smudge stick

Dirt tu3 on the bottom is the idea of the inkpot. This is the mo of moshui, Chinese ink. It’s made from water and burnt ashes.

黯 an4

an4 dark, deep black, probably matte black as opposed to glossy black since this character also means dull.

黑暗

hei1an4 dark, darkness

黑板

hei1ban3 blackboard

黑社会

hei1 she4hui4

Criminal society.

黑市

hei1 shi4 black market
Linkword: Hei! Shi’s a prostitute!

黑手

hei1shou3

literally black hand; criminal; refers to an individual not a group, cf. English “the black hand”,  an historical criminal society.

memotechnique: Hey! Show?

 

Secret society 秘密社团, 秘密社会

兄弟们好!