In this lesson, read through the information for each character. In your character notebook, draw a picture or cartoon of the story that will help you remember the character. Then take the quiz.
病
bìng
illness
疒 + 丙bǐng
sickness + third
alternatively: 疒 + 一 + 冂 + 人, illness + ceiling + hood + person, when you are ill, it is best to pull your hood over your head and stay inside.
唱
chàng
sing
口 + 昌chāng
mouth + prosperous
alternatively: 口+日+日 mouth + sun + day; You sing “Sunny Day” from Sesame Street.
“On a sunny day, he’ll sing.” (Trumpeter Wu)
歌
gē
song
哥gē + 欠
older brother + lack
an older brother who lacks the skills to sing a song
跳
tiào
jump [v.]
⻊ + 兆zhào
lower leg + omen
"Mother, may I jump when I see the omen?" (Mother, May I?)
舞
wǔ
dance [n./v.]
𠂉 + 卌 + 一 + 舛
lying down + forty + one + Cirque du Soleil
40Cirque de Solei performers lying down on unicycles and dancing in the evening
花
huā
flower [n.]
艹 + 化huà
flowers + transform
Flowers can transform a relationship.
左
zuǒ
left [n./adj.]
𠂇 + 工
by one’s side + I-beam/work
Sergio Furnari created this sculpture based on the famous photograph by Charles C. Ebbets of New York steel workers taking a break on an I-beam high in the air. You can use the sound of "gōngzuò" 工作 to remember left (左 zuǒ). Work is also a left-brained activity.
右
yòu
right [n./adj.]
𠂇 + 口kǒu
by one's side + mouth
This statue shows a little mouth by one’s right side telling you the right (a play on words) decision to make.
步
bù
step
止 + 少
footprint + few
babies one step at a time: just a fewfootprints so far