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zhōng
middle
口 + 丨
mouth + stick
Character Notes

a stick goes through the middle of something

Character Comparison

shǔ
mouse
臼 + 二二 + 乚
rib cage + “four feet” + “tail”
Character Notes

This is a dead mouse with the rib cage showing. It is wearing "shǔ"s.

Character Comparison
Series

shēng
liter
千 + 十
thousand + ten/needle
Character Notes

a liter is a thousand mL, picture a liter bottle full of needles

Character Comparison

shēn
somebody
丶 +目 + 才
drop + eye + genie
Character Notes

a picture of somebody dancing as an eyeball with an antenna on her head

alternatively: 自 + 才 nose + genius, An aromachologist is somebody who is a nose genius.

Character Comparison

*rich man
一 + 口 + 田
one + mouth + field
Character Notes

greedy man: one mouth eats the whole field; derived from 富 fù wealthy

Character Comparison

immediately
艮 + 卩jié
silver token + stamped
Character Notes

silver token makes the long wait for the stamped original immediate

Character Comparison

shāo
a little [adj.]
禾 + 肖xiào
grain + resemble
Character Notes

grains resemble little bits of time

Character Comparison

shěng
province
少shǎo + 目
few + eye
Character Notes

the further the province is from Beijing, the fewer the eyes on them

Character Comparison

róng
contain
宀 + 谷
house + valley
Character Notes

house so large it contains a valley

Character Comparison

pái
row [n.]
扌 + 非
hand + jail cell
Character Notes

hands gripping jail doors on death row OR going down the row of jail cells, offering your hand to each inmate

Character Comparison
Series

xiāo
disappear
氵 + 肖xiào
water + resemble
Character Notes

water (or liquid that resembles it) makes things disappear

alternatively: 氵 + 小 + 月 water + small + moon: the story of the monkeys who see a small resemblance of the moon in the water and try to capture it, but it disappears

Character Comparison

shī
poem
讠 + 寺sì
microphone + Buddhist temple
Character Notes

"Our temple will be installed with microphones to allow for the chanting of poetry." (Buddhist Temple)

Character Comparison

tái
platform
厶 + 口
monument + mouth
Character Notes

at the mouth of the monument, they’ve set up a stage

Character Comparison

rotten
府fǔ + 肉
government office + meat
Character Notes

rotten meat left in a government office

Character Comparison
Series

jiǎn
opt for
扌 + (东一)jiǎn
hand + covered rickshaw
Character Notes

use finger to point out which covered rickshaw the family has opted for

Character Comparison

page, *head
一 + 丶 + 贝
one + drop + shells
Character Notes

a shell fish balancing a page on its head

Character Comparison
头tóu bust

xiāng
perfume [n.]
禾 + 日
grain + sun
Character Notes

fragrance of ripe wheat in the sun

Character Comparison

cài
Cai
艹 + 祭
flowers + offer sacrifice
Character Notes

Ms. Cai is religious about taking flowers to offer sacrifice to her ancestors.

Character Comparison

tiě
note [n.]
巾 + 占
towel + tell fortunes
Character Notes

note written on a paper towel at a restaurant could tell your fortune

Character Comparison
贴tiē paste
Series

lonely
宀 + 叔
house + uncle
Character Notes

Uncle Schubert lives by himself in a house and is lonely.

Character Comparison

error
讠 + 吴wú
microphone + Wu
Character Notes

use microphone to point out the error of Mrs. Wu

Character Comparison
Series

shì
show [v.], *altar
Character Notes

This character was originally a picture of an ancestral tablet for worship, so when used as a component, it retains this meaning of altar.

alternative breakdown: 二+小 two + small, two small altar boys under the altar

derivative: 礻*Eastern altar

Character Comparison

zhǎ
blink [v.]
目 + 乏
eye + weary
Character Notes

eyes are weary, so they blink

Character Comparison
Series

chāng
prosperous
日 + 日
sun + day
Character Notes

on sunny days you feel prosperous

Character Comparison

chéng
orange
木 + 登dēng
tree + ascend
Character Notes

ascend the tree to pick oranges

Character Comparison

beg
𠂉 + 乙yǐ
lying down + fishing
Character Notes

beggar lying down with hook for a hand

Character Comparison
Series

*fairy house
艹 + 合
flowers + fit
Character Notes

flowers fit together into a fairy house

Character Comparison
Series

juān
contribute
扌 + 肙yuàn
hand + mouth + month
Character Notes

offer a hand to contribute to feed someone every month

Character Comparison
Series

shāng
wound [n.]
亻 + 𠂉 + 力
persona + lying down + muscle
Character Notes

your persona lying down to rest her wounded muscle

Character Comparison

táo
wash in a container
氵 + 匋táo
water + lidded clay pot
Character Notes

ideogram

Character Comparison
Series

xuān
*chatterbox
口 + 口
mouth + mouth
Character Notes

"ideogram"

Character Comparison
Series

àn
dark [adj.]
日 + 音yīn
sun + sound
Character Notes

dark emptiness of outer space with no sun or sound

Character Comparison
Series

kuān
wide
宀 + 艹 + 见
house + flowers + see
Character Notes

WIDE LOAD on the back of a glass house, where you can see the flowers inside

Character Comparison

lǎn
view [v.], *spectator
*监 + 见
bamboo sword + see
Character Notes

Task three: become a spectator of others completing tasks with bamboo swords—see if they do it right.

Character Comparison

jìng
clean [adj.]
冫 + 争zhēng
ice + contend
Character Notes

clean the ice before the hockey contention

Character Comparison

qiāng
gun
木 + 仓cāng
wood + storehouse
Character Notes

wooden storehouse of guns OR someone hides behind a tree with a gun to overtake the storehouse

Character Comparison

fán
vexed
火 + 页
fire + head
Character Notes

vexed: picture of fire coming off a head

Character Comparison
Series

ooh!
平 + 亅
even + hook
Character Notes

Ooh! The scale tipped!

Character Comparison
Series

fēng
seal
圭 + 寸
bricks + thumb
Character Notes

bricks weigh down the adhesive and then a thumb seal to make sure

Character Comparison

gōng
bow [n.]
Character Notes

derivative: 丂 *broken bow

Character Comparison

丿

piě
*slash
Character Notes
Character Comparison

bèi
*Sunday school
(十宀) + 子
chapel + child
Character Notes

the class at the chapel that the children attend

Character Comparison

chú
*flying witch
⺈ + 彐
mask + broom
Character Notes

This costumed witch flies on a magic broom.

Character Comparison

tián
fill in
土 + 真
soil + true
Character Notes

fill in forms with soil or the truth

Character Comparison

guàn
string of shells
Character Notes
Character Comparison

old woman
波bō + 女
waves + woman
Character Notes

waves in the skin OR Old Woman and the Sea (at home watching the waves)

Character Comparison

chá
check into
木 + 旦
tree + daybreak
Character Notes

Newton under the tree at daybreak, checking into gravity

Character Comparison

lǎo
maternal grandmother
女 + 老lǎo
woman + old
Character Notes

picture your maternal grandmother as a very old woman

Character Comparison

hòu
thick
厂 + 日 + 子
cliff + sun + child
Character Notes

thick-headed parents leave their child on a cliff in the sun

Character Comparison

block [v.]
阝 + 且
pinnacle + shelves
Character Notes

The pinnacle decor item for blocking ugly views: the shelf—it can be decorated!

Character Comparison

*drummer boy
士 + 豆
soldier + beans
Character Notes

A boy soldier who plays the drum and is also the camp cook. *Notice the bottom of 士 overlaps with the top of 豆.

Character Comparison

wén
mosquito
虫 + 文wén
insect + gentleman farmer
Character Notes

insect most hated by gentleman farmers

Character Comparison

yào
key
钅 + 月yuè
metal + moon
Character Notes

metal key shaped like the moon

Character Comparison

yún
uniform [adj.]
勹 + 二
bound up + two
Character Notes

packages bound up uniformly with two strips of tape, one in each direction

Character Comparison
Series

qín
celery
艹 + 斤jīn
flowers + axe
Character Notes

You find wild celery flowering near your shelter. You harvest it with your axe.

Character Comparison

shì
persimmon
木 + 市shì
tree + market
Character Notes

it's persimmon season, they've hit the market

Character Comparison

rěn
endure
刃rèn + 心
blade + heart
Character Notes

endure pain whether by the blade or in your heart

Character Comparison

dǎi
malicious, *carcass
Character Notes

alternative breakdown: 一+夕 ceiling + evening, haunted house: carcass hanging from the ceiling in the evening

Character Comparison

card
上 + 下xià
above + below
Character Notes

swipe the card up and down, top to bottom

Character Comparison
Series

róng
melt
鬲 + 虫chóng
pressure cooker + insect
Character Notes

only in a pressure cooker can you melt insects

Character Comparison
Series

线

xiàn
line [n.]
纟 + 戋jiān
thread + machine gun
Character Notes

Machine guns shoot a lot of bullets in a row, threaded together in a line that is fed through the gun.

Character Comparison

qiān
lead [n.]
钅 + 0yǎn
metal + belch
Character Notes

lead factory belching smoke

Character Comparison

páng
side [n.], *Columbus
立 + 冖 + 方fāng
stand up + crown + compass
Character Notes

"This prince is an adventurer. Like Columbus, he stands up to the crown with a compass by his side and declares 'the earth is round'." (Royal Family)

Character Comparison
帝dì sovereign

zhōu
boat
Character Notes
Character Comparison

zhì
wisdom
知zhī + 日
know + day/sun
Character Notes

to know your sun will set is wisdom

Character Comparison

shell [n.]
士 + 冗
soldier + superfluous
Character Notes

To this soldier in training, an extra shell of armor seems superfluous. OR Prince Superfluous is sent off as a soldier and dies in a shelling.

Character Comparison

宿

stay overnight
宀 + 亻 + 百
house + persona + hundred
Character Notes

hundred people in a house staying overnight

Character Comparison

fishing [n.]
氵 + 鱼yú
water + fish
Character Notes

you can go fishing where there is some water and fish

Character Comparison
Series

rice
grain modified
Character Notes

whole grain threshed into grains of rice

Character Comparison

K

yíng
*rooftop garden
艹 + 宀
flowers + house
Character Notes

flowers that grow on top of a house

Character Comparison

jiā
home
宀 + 豕
house + sow
Character Notes

house on stilts with pigs underneath

Character Comparison

líng
spirit
彐 + 火
broom + fire
Character Notes

spirits dancing around the fire with brooms

Character Comparison
Series

kuàng
situation
冫 + 兄
ice + teenager
Character Notes

Because of a difficult situation with a teenager, they were put on ice for 5 years (like Han Solo).

Character Comparison

interest
走 + 取qǔ
walk + take
Character Notes

walk through a buffet line, take what interests you

Character Comparison
Series

jǐng
police [n.]
敬jìng + 言
revere + speech
Character Notes

revere the police officer’s speech or else

Character Comparison
Series

zhǐ
*trail of footprints
“walking” footprints
Character Notes
Character Comparison
Series

strategy
⺮ + 朿cì
bamboo + thorn
Character Notes

In this competition each team will develop a strategy, using bamboo, to get through the thorn thicket.

Character Comparison

mama
女 + 马mǎ
woman + horse
Character Notes

Does your mama like horses?

Character Comparison

dǒng
understand
忄 + 董dǒng
meme + director
Character Notes

meme of Funeral Director Dong patting someone offering a tissue "I understand

Character Comparison

féng
*briars
夂 + 丰fēng
walking legs + bushes
Character Notes

Sleeping Beauty’s prince has to walk through the bushes of briars

Character Comparison

lào
cheese
酉 + 各
whiskey bottle + each
Character Notes

The bottles on the right aren’t whiskey but rennet for making cheese. Each one is different.

Character Comparison

tàn
spy [n]
扌 + 罙shēn
hand + hole in the bottom of the sea
Character Notes

use hands to spy out the hole in the bottom of the sea

Character Comparison

breath
自 + 心xīn
nose + heart
Character Notes

breathe in through your nose to feed O2 to your heart

Character Comparison

huān
merry
又 + 欠
right hand + lack
Character Notes

This is Merry the pirate who lacks a right hand.

Character Comparison

zhǐ
purpose
匕 + 日
spoon/person sitting + day
Character Notes

feeding the baby gave purpose to my days OR even if you sit at a desk every day, find your purpose

Character Comparison

cǎo
grass
艹 + 早zǎo
flowers + early
Character Notes

cut grass early before flowers grow

cut the grass early in the morning

Character Comparison
Series

jiāo
arrogant
马 + 乔qiáo
horse + pretend
Character Notes

that arrogant horse is pretending she is a queen

Character Comparison

xiāo
peel [v.]
肖xiào + 刂
resemble + sword
Character Notes

a peeler that resembles a small sword

Character Comparison
Series

shī
teacher
刂 + 一 + 巾
sword + one + towel
Character Notes

sword fight between a student and teacher who only has one towel

alternatively: 帅 + 一 commander + ceiling, a commander inside is a teacher

Character Comparison
帅shuài commander

zhǐ
stop [v.], *footprint
lower leg modified
Character Notes
Character Comparison
Series

pull
扌 + 立lì
hand + stand up
Character Notes

use hand to pull someone up to standing

Character Comparison
Series

wǎn
bowl
石 + 宛wǎn
stone + Cabela’s
Character Notes

stone bowls on sale at Cabela’s because they are too heavy

Character Comparison

yǐn
beverage
饣 + 欠qiàn
food + lack/yawn
Character Notes

bored of food, try beverages OR consuming only beverages lacks food

Character Comparison

this [literary]
止 + 匕
footprint + spoon
Character Notes

This is a tale of…"Little Miss Moppet" (eating her curds and whey), "Hansel & Gretel" (who leave a trail and eat sweets), or "Hey, Diddle, Diddle" (the dish ran away with the spoon)...you pick which has the strongest association for you with footprint and spoon.

Character Comparison

xiàng
lane
共 + 已
together + snakeskin
Character Notes

Snake Alley in Taipei: mix together snakeskin and wine for a tasty drink

Character Comparison

zōng
religion
宀 + 示
house + altar
Character Notes

religion houses altars

Character Comparison

pán
*slat
Character Notes

wood being sliced in half 爿片

Character Comparison
片piàn slice

custom
亻 + 谷gǔ
persona + valley
Character Notes

Your persona as a "valley girl" with unique customs.

Character Comparison

xiá
narrow
犭 + 夹jiā
Aesop + press from both sides
Character Notes

dogs pressing from both sides, a narrow escape!

Character Comparison

wrestle
扌 + 尃
hand + thumb prick
Character Notes

use hands to wrestle out of a thumb prick

Character Comparison

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