分寸 (fēncun) · sense of propriety

分 fēn · to divide

What 分 is made of

• 八bā — eight
• 刀dāo — knife
  • 丿 — falling stroke

Origin hint: Pieces 八 being further subdivided with a knife 刀 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

寸 cùn · inch

What 寸 is made of

寸 is not built from smaller parts; it is written with 3 strokes.

Origin hint: A hand with a dot indicating where the pulse can be felt, about an inch up the wrist (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)