straight / upright / proper / main / principal / to correct / to rectify / exactly / just (at that time) / right (in that place) / (math.) positive
正
=
一
+
止
:
Mnemonic symbol: a stick-figure with straight lines. James II of England (zh) really has to use the engine's bathroom ((e)ng4), but there's a stick-figure (正) blocking the stalls with a barrier (止). The stick-figure measures with a flute (一) whether James is tall enough to go. James stands very straight (正) to make himself as tall as possible.
highest / greatest / too (much) / very / extremely
太
=
丶
+
大
:
Mnemonic symbol: from 太后 [tai4 hou4], the empress dowager. The empress dowager prepares for her reign in the airplane's bathroom (ai4) and has a big robot (大) as well as Tecumseh (t) fan her fresh air with petal leaves (丶).
to control / to accuse / to charge / to sue / to invert a container to empty it / (suffix) (slang) buff / enthusiast / devotee / -phile or -philia
控
=
扌
+
空
:
Karl Koala (ku) cannot find the air conditioner's (空) remote control (控) in the engine's bathroom ((e)ng4; he's sitting on it). He doesn't want to get up from the sofa either, so he switches the aircon on using a long toy claw (扌).