Pinyin initial: "cu"

The Pinyin initial "cu" is used in the first half of Pinyin syllables. In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, "cu" belongs to the group of Pinyin initials which are represented in mnemonics by animals. You can visit the Pinyin index to see all Pinyin syllables from this mnemonic group, or to see all Pinyin syllables "cu" can appear in.

Mnemonics for cu

Cu is for Kitty Cat.

Characters with cu

寸

cùn = cu + (e)n4

a unit of length / inch / thumb

寸 = 一 + 亅 + 丶 : Kitty Cat is playing with a petal leaf in the encampment's bathroom. She's keeping it in the air by hitting it with a flute and a crowbar. It's so much fun that she thinks to herself "thumbs up".

从

cóng = cu + (e)ng2

variant of 從|从[cong2]

从

從

cóng = cu + (e)ng2

from / through / via / to follow / to obey / to engage in (an activity) / never (in negative sentence) / (Taiwan pr. [zong4]) retainer / assistant / auxiliary / subordinate / related by common paternal grandfather or earlier ancestor

从 = 人 : Mnemonic symbol: 从 looks like the legs of a rubber chicken. Two Neanderthal Men (人) are playing a game with Kitty Cat (cu) in the engine's kitchen ((e)ng2). They stand in a line and let Kitty Cat pass through (从) the tunnel formed by their legs by teasing her with a rubber chicken (从).

从

從

cóng = cu + (e)ng2

surname Cong

错

錯

cuò = cu + o4

mistake / wrong / bad / interlocking / complex / to grind / to polish / to alternate / to stagger / to miss / to let slip / to evade / to inlay with gold or silver

错 = 昔 + 钅 : Kitty Cat just finished polishing her golden harpoon in the observatory's bathroom, but afterwards she made the terrible mistake of dropping her milkshake on it. Now she'll have to polish it all over again.

错

錯

cuò = cu + o4

surname Cuo

村

cu̅n = cu + (e)n1

village

村 = 寸 + 木 : Kitty Cat is for a sightseeing tour in Beijing and sees a Christmas tree in front of the encampment. This makes her think "thumps up" as it reminds her of her village, where these trees are grown.

村

邨

cu̅n = cu + (e)n1

variant of 村[cun1]

存

cún = cu + (e)n2

to exist / to deposit / to store / to keep / to survive

存 = 一 + 仔 : Mnemonic symbol: a floppy disc. Kitty Cat (cu) wants to protest against the law that women have to wear skirts, so wearing jeans (仔) she dances and plays a flute (一) in the encampment's kitchen ((e)n2) and records her demonstration on a floppy disc (存) to upload it later to her livejournal.

粗

麤

cu̅ = cu + Ø1

remote / distant / variant of 粗[cu1]

粗

cu̅ = cu + Ø1

coarse / rough / thick (for cylindrical objects) / unfinished / vulgar / rude / crude

粗 = 且 + 米 : Kitty Cat (cu) wants to store her sacks of rice (米) in a shelf (且) in front of the space station (Ø1), but the sacks are too thick (粗) and do not fit.

粗

觕

cu̅ = cu + Ø1

variant of 粗[cu1]

囱

囪

co̅ng = cu + (e)ng1

chimney

囱 = 丶 + 囗 + 夕 : Kitty Cat (cu) cleans out a chimney (囱) in front of the engine ((e)ng1) using a petal leaf (丶). She knows there's a bat (夕) inside, so she keeps a wooden box (囗) ready to catch it.

促

cù = cu + Ø4

urgent / hurried / to urge / to promote / to urge haste / close / intimate

促 = 亻 + 足 : Kitty Cat (cu) is urging (促) Rosa Luxemburg (亻) into buying her last 8326 footballs (足), stating again and again that this is a special opportunity that will not come back anytime soon and so on. Indeed she already talked her into a corner in the space station's bathroom (Ø4).

措

cuò = cu + o4

to handle / to manage / to put in order / to arrange / to administer / to execute / to take action on / to plan

措 = 扌 + 昔 : Kitty Cat (cu) managed (措) to create a milk shake (昔) machine in the observatory's bathroom (o4) using many toy claws (扌) connected to electric motors. The machine handles (措) the whole operation of making the milk shakes.

卒

cù = cu + Ø4

variant of 猝[cu4]

聪

聰

co̅ng = cu + (e)ng1

quick at hearing / wise / clever / sharp-witted / intelligent / acute

聪 = 总 + 耳 : Kitty Cat (cu) is taking part in a poker tournament in front of the engine ((e)ng1). She was clever (聪) enough to smuggle an ear (耳) into the deck, so she knows that this is exactly the right time to go all-in (总).

脆

cuì = cu + ei4

brittle / fragile / crisp / crunchy / clear and loud voice / neat

脆 = 危 + 月 : The moon (月) is skating on the ice in the Eiffel Tower's bathroom (ei4), although there's a warning sign (危) pointing out that it is very fragile (脆). Kitty Cat (cu) tries to warn him by shouting and waving at him, but the moon is too far away.

脆

脃

cuì = cu + ei4

old variant of 脆[cui4]

醋

cù = cu + Ø4

vinegar / jealousy (in love rivalry)

醋 = 酉 + 昔 : Because Kitty Cat (cu) is chasing the rooster (酉) so often it decided to take revenge. In the space station's bathroom (Ø4) Kitty Cat is about to enjoy a milkshake (昔) into which the rooster poured a good shot of vinegar (醋).