Pinyin initial: "s"

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

Mnemonics for s

Socrates.

Characters with s

old variant of 私[si1]

Mnemonic symbol: a fake nose. Socrates (s) is wearing his fake nose (厶) in outer space, in front of the space station (Ø1).
three / 3

= + : Mnemonic symbol: Cartesian coordinate system with three (三) axes. Socrates (s-) is performing in front of the anthill (-an1). He created an electrical flute by attaching a large capacitor (二) to the flute (一), so that he can get the attention of all the people. Moreover, he's balancing on a Cartesian coordinate system (三). Unfortunately, only three (三) people stop to watch the performance.
surname San
Buddhist temple / mosque / government office (old)

= + : Mnemonic symbol: a Buddhist shrine.

= + : Socrates built a Buddhist temple in the space station's bathroom. To protect it from being destroyed while floating around in zero gravity, he built a protective frame made out of mud around it. After finishing it he inspects it and thinks "thumbs up", because he is proud of his work.
four / 4

= + : Mnemonic symbol: a four-leaved clover. Socrates (s) is working out in the bathroom of the space station (Ø4). He's lifting four (四) wooden boxes (囗), and wonders why they are so heavy. He doesn't know that inside one of the four boxes, the monkey king (儿) is hiding and secretly laughing at him - until the monkey king comes out and surprises Socrates with a four-leaved clover (四).
6th earthly branch: 9-11 a.m., 4th solar month (5th May-5th June), year of the Snake / ancient Chinese compass point: 150°

= + : A snake. Socrates is terribly afraid of a snake in the space station's bathroom, and he tries to defend himself with a shovel. However the snake already ate a mandarin, and Sokrates is next.
"silk" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 120), occurring in 紅|红[hong2], 綠|绿[lü4], 累[lei4] etc / also pr. [mi4]

A silk worm.
to take charge of / to manage / department (under a ministry)

= + 𠮛 : Socrates (s) wants to use the plow (㇆) in front of the space station (Ø1), but he doesn't manage (司), even with the magical scroll called manual (𠮛). Suddenly, a manager (mnemonic symbol for 司) floats by and shows him how to manage (司).
surname Si
color / CL:種|种[zhong3] / look / appearance / sex

= + : In the elevator's bathroom, Socrates watches a crane lick a beautiful lollipop. The lollipop features every color existing on earth.
to feed (a person or animal)
to think / to consider

= + : Socrates is feeling blue in front of the space station. He's thinking of burying his heart under a field. When he finishes, he realizes that he has created some kind of small planet, with his heart at the center.
thirty

= + : Just as Socrates is using the ashram's bathroom the water of the river is swelling so much that he will have to swim unless he uses a boat or something similar. Socrates thinks that this is the perfect opportunity to try out a model he had in mind for a long time. With thirty flutes he builds an inverted pyramid and yes, it floats!

= + : Thirty is a square pyramidal number, that is you can built a pyramid with a square base (of four times four items in that layer) out of fourty things.
chirping of birds

= + : Shakespeare is setting up a Christmas tree in the aorta's bathroom. He's putting a pyramid on top, out of which every full hour a mechanical bird pops out to chirp a song, just like in a cuckoo clock.
stingy

= + + : Mnemonic symbol: stingray.

The stingy stingray (啬) and the mean crocodile (丷) want to return (回) to the river using the elevator's toilet (e4), but lots of dirt (土) is blocking their way. They ask the elevator's boss Socrates (s) for help, but he doesn't make his hands dirty so he starts a boring monologue about living as an expat. As the stingray and the crocodile realize he won't help them they start crying out loudly.
to seem / to appear / to resemble / similar / -like / pseudo- / (more) than

= + : Socrates and Rosa Luxemburg are practising their performance in the space station's bathroom. They practice a synchronized dance where they both wear Groucho glasses.
old variant of 似[si4]

= + : Socrates and Rosa Luxemburg are practising their performance in the space station's bathroom. They practice a synchronized dance where they both wear Groucho glasses.
to compete / competition / match / to surpass / better than / superior to / to excel

= + + + : Socrates (s) and the crab (贝) are competing in a competition (赛) in the airplane's bathroom (ai4). The competition is about stacking wells (井) as high as possible. After time's up, Socrates is the clear winner. He climbs the winner's pedestal (丌) and receives a honorary PhD and thus a graduation cap (宀).
to die / impassable / uncrossable / inflexible / rigid / extremely / damned

= + : Shakespeare is scared to death when suddenly a witch attacks him with her ladle in the space station.
variant of 散[san4]

= + + : Mnemonic symbol: a watering can, because it disperses its water everywhere.

In the anthill's bathroom (an4), Socrates (s) broke down (散) the moon (月) using a sledgehammer (攵). He is now fetching water for his watering can (散) from the well (井), because he plans to disperse (散) the remaining dust and small pieces of the moon by dispersing (散) water everywhere.