lit. by the thousands and tens of thousands (idiom); fig. untold numbe
成 · 6 strokes
Depicts defending city walls (丁) with an axe (戌). 丁 also represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "city", now written as 城. The current meaning is a phonetic loan.
千 · 3 strokes
Phonosemantic compound. 一 represents the meaning and 亻 represents the sound.
上 · 3 strokes
Originally a small line or dot above a longer line, indicating "up". The vertical line was added to distinguish the character from 二 (two). Opposite of 下.
万 · 3 strokes
Variant of 丏. Depicts a person (人) with a cover on top, conveying the original meaning "to not be seen". The current meaning is a phonetic loan. Simplified form of 萬.