Pinyin initial: "zu"

The Pinyin initial "zu" is used in the first half of Pinyin syllables. In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, "zu" 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 "zu" can appear in.

Mnemonics for zu

Zu is for Zapatista Zebra.

Characters with zu

作
zuò = zu + o4
to do; to engage in / to write; to compose / to pretend; to feign / to regard as; to consider to be / to be; to act the part of / to feel (itchy, nauseous etc) / writings; works
作
zuò = zu + o4
to do / to grow / to write or compose / to pretend / to regard as / to feel / writings or works
作 = 乍 + 亻 : Rosa Luxemburg and Zapatista Zebra are high-fiveing in the observatory's bathroom because they're growing so awesome Mohawk haircuts.
作
zuo̅ = zu + o1
worker / workshop / (slang) troublesome / high-maintenance (person)
足
zú = zu + Ø2
foot / to be sufficient / ample
足 = 龰 + 口 : Mnemonic symbol: a football. Zapatista Zebra (zu) wants to pimp his football (足) in the space station's kitchen (Ø2). He thinks that a few more vitamins wouldn't hurt, so he extracts the vitamins from a mandarin (口) with a syringe (龰) to inject them into his football.
做
zuò = zu + o4
to make; to produce / to write; to compose / to do; to engage in; to hold (a party etc) / (of a person) to be (an intermediary, a good student etc); to become (husband and wife, friends etc) / (of a thing) to serve as; to be used for / to assume (an air or manner)
做 = 亻 + 故 : In observatory's bathroom, Zapatista Zebra uses the well in the middle of the room as an old tomb and throws a dead Rosa Luxemburg inside to hide her corpse.
坐
zuò = zu + o4
to sit / to take a seat / to take (a bus, airplane etc) / to bear fruit / variant of 座[zuo4]
坐 = 从 + 土 : Zapatista Zebra (zu) sits next to a rubber chicken (从) on a clay (土) bench (mnemonic symbol for 坐) in the observatory's bathroom.
坐
zuò = zu + o4
surname Zuo
昨
zuó = zu + o2
yesterday
昨 = 乍 + 日 : Yesterday (昨) Zapatista Zebra (zu) cut the sun's (日) hair in the observatory's kitchen (o2). They were both singing "yesterday" (昨) as Zapatista Zebra was turning the sun's crazy hair into an awesome Mohawk (乍) cut.
最
zuì = zu + ei4
most / the most / -est (superlative suffix)
最 = 取 + 日 : Zapatista Zebra finds a bloody ear in the Eiffel Tower's bathroom. The sun has been shining on it, and Zapatista Zebra thinks it's the most disgusting smell ever.
最
㝡
zuì = zu + ei4
variant of 最[zui4]
最
冣
zuì = zu + ei4
old variant of 最[zui4]
左
zuǒ = zu + o3
left / the Left (politics) / east / unorthodox / queer / wrong / differing / opposite / variant of 佐[zuo3]
左 = 𠂇 + 工 : Mnemonic symbol: a communist.

Zapatista Zebra (zu) and the communist (左) teamed up for once to sabotage capitalism. They start by trying to cut a steel beam (工) using scissors (𠂇) inside of the observatory (o3).
左
zuǒ = zu + o3
surname Zuo
左 = 𠂇 + 工 : Mnemonic symbol: a communist.

Zapatista Zebra (zu) and the communist (左) teamed up for once to sabotage capitalism. They start by trying to cut a steel beam (工) using scissors (𠂇) inside of the observatory (o3).
组
組
zǔ = zu + Ø3
surname Zu
组
組
zǔ = zu + Ø3
to form / to organize / group / team / classifier for sets, series, groups of people, batteries
组 = 且 + 纟 : Zapatista Zebra (zu) and the silk worm (纟) are starting a NGO (组) in the space station (Ø3). The NGO's goal is to distribute as many space friendly shelves (且) as possible. The shelves are radially symmetric and can be rotated so that the centrifugal force keeps the things in the shelf.
座
zuò = zu + o4
seat / base / stand / (archaic) suffix used in a respectful form of address, e.g. 师座|师座[shi1 zuo4] / CL:個|个[ge4] / classifier for buildings, mountains and similar immovable objects
座 = 坐 + 广 : Zapatista Zebra (zu) attached parachutes (广) to benches made of dirt (坐) and plans to drop them over developing countries while he himself sits in a very comfy and luxurious cinema seat (座) in the observatory's bathroom (o4).
租
zu̅ = zu + Ø1
to hire / to rent / to charter / to rent out / to lease out / rent / land tax
租 = 且 + 禾 : Zapatista Zebra (zu) started a new business in front of the space station (Ø1). It consists of a shelf (且) with many cereal bowls (禾) which anyone can rent (租). So far he's very unsuccessful though, maybe because of the poor choice of his store's location.
觜
zuǐ = zu + ei3
variant of 嘴[zui3]
觜 = 此 + 角 : Mnemonic symbol: Orion. Orion (觜) is making Zapatista Zebra (zu) lick his boots (此) which have horns (角) attached to their tips. If only he had a few mandarins to put these on the horns, but unfortunately there aren't any. Zapatista Zebra has to be extremely careful to not hurt his mouth (觜).
嘴
zuǐ = zu + ei3
mouth / beak / nozzle / spout (of teapot etc) / CL:張|张[zhang1],個|个[ge4]
嘴 = 口 + 觜 : Zapatista Zebra (zu) is roaming the Eiffel Tower (ei3) to look for food. Because the floor is full of horns (觜), he is wearing safety boots (觜). With his lips (嘴) he is forming a long beak (嘴) to look for mandarins (口) between the horns.
总
總
zǒng = zu + (e)ng3
always / to assemble / gather / total / overall / head / chief / general / in every case
总 = 丷 + 口 + 心 : Zapatista Zebra and the mean crocodile are playing poker inside of the engine. The crocodile decided to go all in with his mandarin, and Zapatista Zebra has no choice but to set his heart.
总 = 丷 + 口 + 心 : Mnemonic symbol: to go all in during a poker game.