空前绝后 (kōngqiánjuéhòu) · unprecedented and unrepeatable

空 kōng · empty

What 空 is made of

• 穴xué — cave
  • 宀 — roof
    • 丶 — dot
    • 冖mì — cover
  • 八bā — eight
• 工gōng — labor
  • 一 — horizontal stroke
  • 丄shàng — above
    • 丨 — vertical stroke
    • 一 — horizontal stroke

Origin hint: 穴 gives the meaning, 工 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

前 qián · front

What 前 is made of

• 丷ha — kwukyel
  • 丶 — dot
• 一 — horizontal stroke
• 刖yuè — cutting off the feet as a form of punishment
  • 月yuè — moon; month
    • 冂 — frame
    • 二 — two strokes
  • 刂dāo — knife
    • 丨 — vertical stroke
    • 亅 — hook

绝 jué · to cut

What 绝 is made of

• 纟sī — silk
  • 一 — horizontal stroke
• 色sè — color
  • ⺈ — top shape
  • 巴bā — to desire
    • 巳sì — the hours from 9 to 11

Origin hint: 纟 gives the meaning, 色 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

后 hòu · behind

What 后 is made of

• 口kǒu — mouth
  • 冂 — frame
    • 丨 — vertical stroke
  • 一 — horizontal stroke