非常 (fēicháng) · very

非 fēi · not

What 非 is made of

非 is not built from smaller parts; it is written with 8 strokes.

Origin hint: Two bird's wings opposed; two people back-to-back (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)

常 cháng · often

What 常 is made of

• 尚shàng — still
  • ⺌ — structural part
  • 冂 — frame
    • 丨 — vertical stroke
  • 口kǒu — mouth
    • 冂 — frame
    • 一 — horizontal stroke
• 巾jīn — cloth
  • 冂 — frame
    • 丨 — vertical stroke
  • 丨 — vertical stroke

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