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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

liào
material [n.]
米 + 斗
rice + big dipper
Character Notes

different cooking materials like rice scooped out at the market with a big dipper

Character Comparison

cháng
intenstines
月 + (㇇勿)yáng
body part + piglet
Character Notes

body part of a piglet used to case sausage

Character Comparison

husband
二 + 人
two + person
Character Notes

a man becomes a husband when he is joined with a second person

Character Comparison

elder sister
女 + *弟
woman + *younger brother
Character Notes

This is your evil elder sister, not your quiet older sister 姐(split personality if you don't have two?)

*younger brother with his horny head ripped off

Character Comparison
姐 jiě older sister

knowledgeable
十 + 尃
needle + thumb prick
Character Notes

A Ph.D., knowledgeable in blood test research and its thumb prick methods, invented a new needle.

Character Comparison

x阝

*city walls
Character Notes

as a component on the right side of the character; “右耳旁” or “右耳刀”

Character Comparison

morality
彳 + 𢛳dé
queue + ten commandments
Character Notes

The ten commandments, a moral code, have kept people in line for thousands of years. (Bible Series)

Character Comparison

can [aux. v.]
丁 + 口
nail + mouth
Character Notes

“I think I can, I think I can.” Picture the Little Engine's mouth spitting nails.

Character Comparison
叮dīng sting
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