Perhaps I'm visually impaired or something, but I just noticed that the top of the "fiesta" primitive simply acts as that top part of the two hands.

Look closely: 戒

So really, the two hands here is essentially the same primitive as every where else, but the two vertical lines just don't reach the very top.


Just thought I would share for anyone having trouble with these ones. Heisig neglects to mention this. I've always been able to recall the stories and write the kanji correct, except for the two hands part which I always fumbled on. This should make the kanji easier to visualize and remember.

Heisig didn't neglect to mention it, he said as much in the description of the primitive:

"Whenever this element appears at the bottom of its relative primitive, the top line is omitted, whether or not there is a horizontal line to replace it."

The "two hands" primitive is under the "fiesta" primitive, so the top line is omitted.

Crap. I just checked the entries for the actual kanji in the book, not the primitive ><