self / oneself / from / since / naturally / surely
自
=
丶
+
目
:
Mnemonic symbol: a hand mirror, which someone uses to look at themselves.
The Eye of Providence (目) is looking at itself (自) in a handheld mirror (自) in the space station's bathroom (Ø4). It think it's indeed looking very good, since Zorro (z) attached a petal (丶) to its eye (目).
to transmit / to lead / to guide / to conduct / to direct
导
=
寸
+
巳
:
Don Quixote brought a ghetto blaster to the aorta and is break dancing next to the house fire. The snake, who acts as director, thinks "not bad" and shows her approval with her body, which forms a "thumbs up" silhouette.
to develop / to evolve / to practice / to perform / to play / to act
演
=
寅
+
氵
:
Maud Younger (y) and her plush tiger (寅) are drinking inside of the anthill (an3). Maud is drinking bai jiu, but her plush tiger is just pretending: he acts as if he was drinkingn bai jiu, but secretly he exchanges the booze with water from a bottle of water (氵) next to him.