矛

máo

Image of a barbed lance.

柔

róu
Image of a spear 矛 (= developed from a barbed lance) that is positioned in the top of a tree 木, where the wood is still weak.
A spear made out of the top of a tree is soft and flexible.

揉

róu
Left: hand 扌, right: soft, flexible 柔 (A spear 矛 from the upper part of a tree 木 is soft&flexible)
The hand makes it soft and flexible when kneading at the massage.

橘

jú
Left: tree 木, right: 矞 (spear 矛, variation of sell 商)
At this tree you pluck with a spear and sell: the mandarin.

茅

máo
Top: grass 艹, bottom: spear, lance 矛
Grass as long as a spear is: reeds.

矜

jīn
Left: spear, lance 矛, right: now 今 (Put the cover into the corner フ Now!)
The lance has now (pierced), that's how he: boasted.

蹂

róu
Left: foot 足 (knee cap 口 and footprint 止), right: soft, flexible 柔 (A spear 矛 from the upper part of a tree 木 is soft & flexible)
The feet destroy until everything is soft and flexible, when: trampling.