调
JLPT HSK 3

diào, tiáo
Left: word 讠/言 (sound waves out of a mouth 口), right: circumference 周 (A framed 冂 luck 吉, sets its circumference) [joy 吉 = simplification of happy 喜, where the scholar 士 has beans 豆 in his mouth 口 and is happy.]
Words in their circumference are a: tone/tune.

	周
JLPT HSK 3

zhōu
Outside: frame 冂, inside: luck 吉 (simplification of 喜, where the scholar 士 has beans 豆 in the mouth 口 and is happy)
A framed luck, sets its circumference.

	绸
JLPT HSK 5

chóu
Left: thread 纟/糸, right: circumference 周 (A framed 冂 luck 吉, sets its circumference) [joy 吉 = simplif. of happy 喜, where the scholar 士 has beans 豆 in the mouth 口 and is happy]
(Here "encircle" in the sense of put on clothes) The thread that encircles you is the silk.

	雕
JLPT HSK 6

diāo
Left: circumference/cycle 周 (A framed 冂 luck 吉, sets its circumference.), right: bird 隹
'Cycles' are made by this bird: The eagle.

	稠
JLPT HSK 6

chóu
Left: rice plant 禾, right: circumference 周 (A framed 冂 luck 吉, sets its circumference.)
Where there are rice plants, the circumference is: densely (populated).

	碉
JLPT no HSK

diāo
Left: stone 石, right: circumference 周 (A framed 冂 luck 吉, sets its circumference.)
When stones are in the circumference, the room is made of stones.

	凋
JLPT no HSK

diāo
Left: ice 冫, right: circumference 周 (A framed 冂 luck 吉, sets its circumference)
Ice has a circumference, that is: withered.