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zhòu
universe
宀 + 由yóu
house + wherefore/sprout
Character Notes

A house at one with the universe, where they grow and eat a lot of sprouts.

Character Comparison
Series

merchant
西 + 贝
Wild West + shells
Character Notes

Mr. Jia is a merchant in the Wild West who trades for shells

Character Comparison

mián
cotton
木 + 白 + 巾
tree/wood + white + towel
Character Notes

woody bush that produces white towels is the cotton plant

Character Comparison

jiàn
gradually
氵 + 斩zhǎn
water + hew
Character Notes

Water can gradually hew a fissure in rock.

Character Comparison

zòng
rice dumpling
米 + 宗zōng
rice + religion
Character Notes

pyramid-shaped sticky rice dumpling wrapped in bamboo leaves and eaten during Dragon Boat Festival; some scholars suggest they were originally offerings to the dragon god

Character Comparison

céng
story
尸 + 云
flag + cloud
Character Notes

the building has so many stories that the flag on top is in the clouds

Character Comparison
Series

next
冫 + 欠
ice + lack
Character Notes

You have to wait for next round of ice skating because the ice lacks. Can you hear the Zamboni making the sound "ci"?

Character Comparison

jiǔ
long time, *mummy
勹 + 人
bound up + person
Character Notes

This person has been bound up for a long time.

Character Comparison
Series

jīn
towel
Character Notes

as a component: “巾字旁”

Character Comparison

féng
Feng
冫 + 马
ice + horse
Character Notes

Mr. Feng’s horse moves very slowly in the cold.

Character Comparison

yǎo
bite [v.]
口 + 交jiāo
mouth + mingle
Character Notes

mingling father eats bites at cocktail party OR whatever you bite off mingles in your mouth

Character Comparison

zhì
system
牛 + 冂 + 刂
cow + hood + sword
Character Notes

Temple Grandin’s cow system used a hood instead of a sword.

Character Comparison
Series

yíng
win [v.]
亡 + 口 + 月 + 贝 + 凡
deceased + mouth + body part + shells + ordinary
Character Notes

How to win a princess (like Snow White): go to her coffin 亡, kiss her mouth (a winning body part), offer her shells and sail 凡 away with her.

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chì
reprimand [v.], *bloody axe
斤 + \
axe modified
Character Notes

Forgetting to clean a bloody axe deserves a reprimand.

Character Comparison

xún
patrol [v.]
川 + 辶
stream + road
Character Notes

A patrol route is like a stream, it just keeps flowing down the road.

Patrol the Stream: “Hoovervilles” are shantytowns built by the homeless (named after President Herbert Hoover, whom many want to blame for the economic downturn). The Dust Bowl has exacerbated conditions, and some people in California are trying to patrol their border to prevent the stream of “Okies” from coming into their state. (1930's On the Road)

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迅xùn 逊xùn

shān
shirt
衤 + 彡shān
clothing + bird tail
Character Notes

This shirt is modeled after birds' tails.

Character Comparison

remember
讠 + 己jǐ
microphone + snake
Character Notes

tour guide warning of snakes (in a microphone) “remember to watch out!”

Character Comparison

gǒng
strengthen
工gōng + 凡
I-beam + ordinary
Character Notes

I-beams strengthen ordinary office buildings

Character Comparison
Series

mài
sell
十 + 买mǎi
ten + buy
Character Notes

ten times the profit when you sell what you buy

Character Comparison
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