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A

*kerchief
clothing modified
Character Notes
Character Comparison
𧘇 scarf

zhěn
*cocktail
𠆢 + 彡
umbrella + bird tail
Character Notes

little umbrella in your cocktail is really a bird tail feather

Character Comparison
Series

hǒu
roar [v.]
口 + 孔
mouth + cavity
Character Notes

If the dentist's numbing shots in your mouth weren’t precise enough, there was roaring when he filled that cavity.

Character Comparison

nose
自 + 畀
nose + runny nose
Character Notes

two views of the nose: straight on and straight up

alternatively: 自 + 田 + 廾 nose + field + two hands, manure field, cover nose with both hands

Character Comparison

hái
tot
子 + 亥hài
child + acorn
Character Notes

tot (child) collecting acorns

Character Comparison

yào
medicine
艹 + 约yuē
flowers + make an appointment
Character Notes

"These flowers are actually grown for medicine. I had to make an appointment with an herbalist to get them." (Wedding Planner)

alternatively: 艹 + 纟 + 勺 flowers + thread + ladle, traditional medicine made from flowers, tied up with thread, boil it and ladle out the soup

Character Comparison

exceed
俞yú + 辶
slaughterhouse + road
Character Notes

Exceed (the Date) on the Slaughterhouse (Meat): In Depression times, nothing is wasted, even expired meat. Here the slaughterhouse is giving away anything extra to those headed out on the road.

Character Comparison

*patched hole
穴 - 丶
hole - drop
Character Notes

drops can't get through the roof once it has been patched

Character Comparison

axe
父fù + 斤
father + axe
Character Notes

In your collection of axes, this biggest one is “the Father.”

Character Comparison
斤jīn *axe

yùn
carry
云yún + 辶
cloud + road
Character Notes

Monkey King is carried by a cloud instead of traveling on the road

a cloud of exhaust from a truck on the road carrying goods

"Carrying (Goods Creates) a Cloud: As the Okies move west carrying their goods, they create a cloud of dust on the road behind them." (1930's On the Road)

Character Comparison

utensil
哭 + 吅
cry + chatterbox
Character Notes

Picture a device/utensil for keeping the chatterbox Pekingese quiet that makes you cry.

Alternatively: 4口 + 犬 four mouths waiting for utensils to eat the Pekingese.

Character Comparison

huá
scratch [v.]
戈 + 刂
rifle + sword
Character Notes

When it is a rifle versus a sword, a sword can only scratch a rifle.

Character Comparison

duǎn
short [vs. long]
矢 + 豆dòu
dart + beans
Character Notes

darts and beans are short things

Character Comparison

xiū
shy
⺶ + 丑chǒu
wool + clown
Character Notes

shy clown pulls the wool wig down over his eyes

Character Comparison
Series

ya
wow!
口 + 牙yá
mouth + tooth
Character Notes

You sit down, open your mouth, and the dentist says, “Wow!” not in a good way, when he sees your teeth.

Character Comparison

dān
list [n.]
丷 + 田 + 十
horns + field + ten/needle
Character Notes

farmer making a list of cows in the field, writes down 10

Character Comparison

suàn
calculate
⺮ + 目 + 廾
bamboo + eye + two hands
Character Notes

In this class students will construct their own abacus for calculation with two hands: a bamboo frame with eyeballs as beads.

Character Comparison

yáo
remote [adj.]
䍃yáo + 辶
cookie jar + road
Character Notes

Remote Cookie Jar: For those who have to leave their homes and take to the road, much was left behind that was impractical to carry. For this child, the cookie jar in the kitchen is becoming a remote memory. (1930's On the Road)

“Chocolate chip cookies, so far on the road…”

Character Comparison

*monument
Character Notes

as a component: “私字旁”

Character Comparison
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