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yuán
source
氵 + 原yuán
water + original
Character Notes

The source is where water comes from originally.

Character Comparison
Series

huǒ
fire [n.]
Character Notes

derivative: 灬 cooking fire

as a component: “火字旁”

Character Comparison

zhī
grease [n.]
月 + 旨zhǐ
body part + purpose
Character Notes

this body part’s purpose is to grease the joints

Character Comparison

chí
tardy
尺chǐ + 辶
ruler + road
Character Notes

Tardy means the Ruler: Schools in the 1930’s use corporal punishment. If you come in late from the road and are tardy, your hand gets slapped with a ruler. (1930's On the Road)

Character Comparison

liè
line up
歹 + 刂
carcass + sword
Character Notes

Zombies lining up with swords.

Character Comparison
Series

ēn
kindness
因yīn + 心
cause + heart
Character Notes

feelings of your heart are the cause of kindness

Character Comparison

xiàn
county
且 + 厶
shelves + monument
Character Notes

county fair: shelves with models of all the weirdest monuments from China’s counties

Character Comparison

thing
牛 + 勿wù
cow + knot
Character Notes

What’s that thingy on a cow’s tail? It's like a frayed knot.

Character Comparison

tān
beach [n.]
氵 + 难nán
water + difficult
Character Notes

beach water makes it difficult to learn to swim

Character Comparison

convex
Character Notes
Character Comparison
凹āo

nanny
女 + 母mǔ
woman + mother
Character Notes

A nanny is a woman who helps the mother.

Character Comparison

qiáng
strong
弓 + 虽
bow + although
Character Notes

You need to have strong concentration when using a bow, even though an insect could land on your mouth.

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Y

*RMB
丷+干
horns + clothesline
Character Notes

alternatively: 丷+干 horns + clothesline, devilish laundered money

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wēi
tiny
彳 + 山 + 一 + 几 + 攵
queue + mountain + one/ceiling + wind + taskmaster
Character Notes

Hunger Games: the tiny people queue up for a chance to feel the mountain wind but a taskmaster turns them away.

The tiny scene he is watching is put in motion by the wind. Tiny ants have lined up in a queue, and he is ordering them to march up a mountain of sand, but it is really the wind who is taskmaster, blowing them up and over the hill. (Hat in the Wind)

"Taskmaster has thought of everything! There will be a tiny display on top of the mountain of a wedding cake. Tiny figurines: the wedding queue (you, the groom and all your attendants) with a hidden fan that will blow one puff of wind every 15 seconds to rustle your tiny veil.” (Wedding Planner)

Character Comparison

chú
kitchen
厂 + 豆 + 寸
cliff + beans + thumb
Character Notes

cliff dwellers store their beans in the kitchen, decorated with thumbprint paintings

Character Comparison

ne
[grammar particle]
口 + 尼ní
mouth + Buddhist nun
Character Notes

This is the starting sound of "nun".

Character Comparison

wén
hear-smell
门mén + 耳
gate + ear
Character Notes

hear-smell foul news

Character Comparison

chǎng
factory, *cliff
Character Notes

as a component: “厂字旁” or “厂字头” or “偏厂“

Character Comparison
广 guǎng *cave

sōu
search [v.]
扌 + 叟sǒu
hand + skeleton/old man
Character Notes

A hand is searching around in the dark and finds the skeleton of an old man.

Character Comparison
Series
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