Pinyin initial: "qu"

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

Mnemonics for qu

Qu is for Cupid.

Characters with qu

to go / to go to (a place) / (of a time etc) last / just passed / to send / to remove / to get rid of / to reduce / to be apart from in space or time / to die (euphemism) / to play (a part) / (when used either before or after a verb) to go in order to do sth / (after a verb of motion indicates movement away from the speaker) / (used after certain verbs to indicate detachment or separation)

= + : Mnemonic symbol: The "nose" part (厶) can be seen as an arm, which goes through "earth" (土), and this reminds me of some protesters who lock themselves (or their arms, to be specific) to concrete barrels. Cupids dirt capsule could also be a concrete barrel. So in other characters, I'm going to represent 去 by a concrete barrel.

Cupid (qu) is trying to send himself to earth. In the bathroom of the space station (Ø4), he has prepared a capsule made of dirt (土). He's wearing his lucky fake nose (厶) when entering the capsule.
to take / to get / to choose / to fetch

= + : When Mike Tyson was fighting against Evander Holyfield, he did not only beat Evander's ear with his boxing glove. Imagine this fight in the space station with cupid as referee.

= + : In other characters: A bloody ear.
dog / Kangxi radical 94

= + : Cupid wants to play fetch with the Saint Bernard dog in the anthill and throws a petal leaf over his head, but the dog just continues sleeping. Much to Cupid's surprise though, a big robot happily leaps after the petal leaf.

= + : Looks like a Saint Bernard dog with only one eye.
all / whole / entire / every / complete

= + : Just inside the anthill's kitchen, Neanderthal Man, Martin Luther King and Cupid have gathered for a world record attempt. They want to eat a whole 100 kg whole-wheat bread in under one hour.

= + : Mnemonic symbol: a whole-wheat bread.
surname Quan
surname Qu
yeast / Aspergillus (includes many common molds) / Taiwan pr. [qu2]
bent / crooked / wrong
tune / song / CL:支[zhi1]

= + : Mnemonic symbol: a harp. Cupid (qu) is playing a harp (曲) in the space station's living room (Ø3). He's sitting on a big enclosure (囗), playing the harp (曲) and wielding a double axe (卄) at the same time.
variant of 麴|曲[qu1]
used in 屈戌兒|屈戌儿[qu1 qu5 r5]
variant of 確|确[que4] / variant of 埆[que4]

= + : Cupid found a huge horn in the elevator's bathroom. He knows that if it were genuine, it would be worth a fortune. He knows also that there is only one way to find out: by crashing a stone on it he'll find out whether it is the real stuff.
authenticated / solid / firm / real / true

= + : Cupid found a huge horn in the elevator's bathroom. He knows that if it were genuine, it would be worth a fortune. He knows also that there is only one way to find out: by crashing a stone on it he'll find out whether it is the real stuff.
three-stroke form of Kangxi radical 94 犬[quan3]

Cupid takes his dachshund out for a walk to the anthill, where he has a drink with his dachshund.
old variant of 卻|却[que4]

= + : Cupid and the baby seal are fighting a war in the elevator's bathroom. Cupid shoots his arrows of love while the baby seal uses its big eyes to make everyone fall for it. However, at the moment everything is silent: Cupid and the baby seal both retreated into their concrete barrels for now.
but / yet / however / while / to go back / to decline / to retreat / nevertheless / even though

= + : Cupid and the baby seal are fighting a war in the elevator's bathroom. Cupid shoots his arrows of love while the baby seal uses its big eyes to make everyone fall for it. However, at the moment everything is silent: Cupid and the baby seal both retreated into their concrete barrels for now.
area / region / district / small / distinguish / CL:個|个[ge4]

= + : Mnemonic symbol: An alien from Area 51.

= + : Cupid receives a metal box in front of the space station. He opens it and finds a road sign with a pyramid on it. Clever as he is, he derives that it must have been sent to him from the region of Egypt.

= + : Cupid is chilling in front of the space station, when an alien from Area 51 flies by and gives him a metal box. Unfortunately, even using pliers, Cupid is too weak to open it.
group / crowd / flock, herd, pack etc

= + : Just inside the encampment's kitchen Cupid made a flock of sheep collectively fall in love with 马天君, just to annoy him. 马天君 is indeed outraged at Cupid, but has no way of taking revenge, for now.
variant of 群[qun2]

= + : Just inside the encampment's kitchen Cupid made a flock of sheep collectively fall in love with 马天君, just to annoy him. 马天君 is indeed outraged at Cupid, but has no way of taking revenge, for now.
deficiency / lack / scarce / vacant post / to run short of

= + : Cupid (qu) has almost all pottery pots (缶) of a collection of twelve, but the seventh piece is missing (缺). He asks a crystal ball (夬) I'm front of the elevator (e1): where is the missing piece? The crystal ball replies that he smashed it when he came back totally drunk the night before.