生
JLPT HSK 1

shēng
Accent/emphasis ノ (here: a twig) at a growing plant /丰 [cf. abundant 丰]
The twig at the growing plant stands for life.

	年
JLPT HSK 1

nián
Comprises the trunk 丨 of a tree with three 三 branches, which is understood as a growing plant /丰. Additionally with two accents ノ,丨 which are understood as fruits.
When the growing plants bear fruit, it has passed: another year.

	么
JLPT HSK 1

má, me, mó, yāo
Top: accent for emphasis 丶, bottom: self, personal 厶 (shows a nose)
The emphasis on your own nose is this reference.

	系
JLPT HSK 1

xì
Top: accent ノ for the emphasis, bottom: thread 糸
An emphasized thread for: the connections in a system.

	少
JLPT HSK 1

shǎo, shào
Top: small 小 (A person 亅 with the arms 八 close to the body is small), bottom: extra stroke ノ
Such a small stroke is too few.

	考
JLPT HSK 2

kǎo
At top: old man 耂, below: wound seeweed 丂
From the ground 土 with a stick ノ the seeweed 丂 is checked.

	刻
JLPT HSK 3

kè
Left: (zodiac) pig 亥/ 豚 (head 亠, fat body ノノ small tail 丶), right: knife刂
(piece-rate work at the slaughterhouse) The pig is cut with a knife (= carved) within a quarter hour.

	该
JLPT HSK 3

gāi
Left: word 讠/言 (sound waves out of a mouth 口), right: (zodiac) pig 亥 (head 亠, fat body ノノ small tail 丶)
Like words towards a pig, that's how it should be.

	才
JLPT HSK 3

cái

When the big 大 person balances on one foot, he is talented.

	必
JLPT HSK 3

bì
Heart 心, lance ノ
The heart is pierced by the lance - certainly!

	失
JLPT HSK 4

shī
Top left: accent ノ (for emphasis), rest: husband 夫 (The big 大 person with the extra-caring arms 一 is the husband.)
I emphasize: the husband will lose.

	父
JLPT HSK 4

fù
A hand with a stick ノ
The father has a stick in his hand (for punishing).

	秘
JLPT HSK 5

mì
Left: rice plant 禾, right: certainly 必 (The heart 心 is pierced by a lance ノ - certainly!)
(They are so fructuous) Rice plants certainly have a secret!

	群
JLPT HSK 5

qún
Left: monarch, master 君 (He strikes with a stick ノ in a hand on a mouth 口), right: sheep 羊 (The horned 丷 animal with a backbone 丨 and laterally protruding due to thick wool 三 is the: sheep)
If a monarch has sheep, then a flock.

	核
JLPT HSK 5

hé
Left: tree 木, right: (zodiac) pig 亥/豕 (head 亠, fat body ノノ small tail 丶)
Trees and pigs also consist of atomic nuclei.

	升
JLPT HSK 5

shēng
Two hands 廾 where the left hand is holding a bottle ノ with one liter. [hands 廾 = twice this hand 屮 with the fingers 山 towards the top; simplified & combined]
Two hands when ascending.

	伊
JLPT no HSK

yī
Left: person 亻, right: to administer, rule 尹 (.. with a stick ノ in the hand you administer)
The person with the stick in his hand point to him/her.

	睾
JLPT no HSK

gāo
From top: emphasis ノ, eye, net 罒, happy 幸 (Between two 丶丶 earths 土 [the lower mirrored 干] is the happiness.)
Below the penis ノ are the testicles 罒 and they make happy: the testicles.