To memorize Chinese characters: look at them, then break them down into their componenents, then try to write them, then compare what you wrote with the character then remember all that.

Every character is a composite of sound and image to express an idea. It’s often to remember the meaning of the character than the sound since the characters are generally not phonetic. Likewise, it’s entirely possible to know a the meaning of a sound without knowing the character. Eventually however your knowledge of SOUND and IMAGE will line up! Especially if you know what the characters really mean using pictogram palace (free preview).

看拆写比记 kan1 chai1 xie3 bi3 ji4

看 look at

拆 break down

写 write

比 compare

记 record, note, remember.