"Steve Sundberg" <deejayREMOVETHE@CAPITALLETTERSmm.com> wrote ...
> It's been many, many years since I've had the resources available to
> dissect kanji. Back in the day, when we learned a new character, we
> would be taught not only stroke order but also what the individual
> elements were that made up a more complicated kanji. I'm wondering if
> anyone can help me dissect "ai," as in "ai suru?" I recognize some of
> the elements but not all of them. (Jim Breen's online Japanese-English
> dictionary is of great help but can't give me all the answers.)

Ah that would be where you are wrong. ;-)
 
> So far, I recognize winter, crown, and heart. But the top-most strokes
> remain undefined. Might they be "claw?"

If you put it into the " Paste a kanji to find its elements: " bit on 
the Multi-radical kanji selection page it says that 愛 'contains'
冖 夂 心 爪