2504. Can't see the wood for the trees? That could be the problem here! 予 レ 士+井 士+毛 竹+士+昔


予  YO - previous, in advance

レ  Katakana "Re"

士+井  SHI - samurai, man, scholar / SEI, SHOU, i - well

士+毛  SHI - samurai, man, scholar / MOU, ke - hair, fur

竹+士+昔  CHIKU, take - bamboo / SHI - samurai, man, scholar / SEKI, SHAKU, mukashi - antiquity, long ago

Adding a tree (木 MOKU, BOKU, ki - tree) to these characters lets them branch out in a new direction!  

柔  JUU, NYUU, yawa(rakai) - soft

札  SATSU, fuda - paper money, slip, card, label

耕  KOU, tagaya(su) - till, plow, cultivate

耗  MOU, KOU - decrease

籍  SEKI - family register