Pinyin "zhou1"
In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, the Pinyin syllable "zhou1" is split up into two parts: "zh" and "ou1". You can visit the Pinyin index to see how other Pinyin syllables are split up into initials and finals.
Mnemonics for Pinyin initial "zh"
Zh is for James II of England (詹姆斯二世, zhānmǔsī èrshì).
Mnemonics for Pinyin final "ou1"
In front of the outhouse.
Characters pronounced zhou1
to make a circuit / to circle / circle / circumference / lap / cycle / complete / all / all over / thorough / to help financially
周
=
⺆
+
土
+
口
:
Mnemonic symbol: a hula hoop. James II of England (zh) performs in front of the outhouse (ou1): he swings a hula hoop (周), juggles three mandarins (口) and balances a small heap of dirt (土) on his head. He cheated a little bit though, because he stapled the heap of dirt to his wig with a stapler (⺆).
boat
舟
=
丹
+
⺀
:
Mnemonic symbol: 舟 looks like the tower of a yellow submarine. In front of the outhouse (ou1), James II of England (zh) stands next to his yellow submarine (舟) and asks you: will you swallow the blossom (⺀) and continue your quiet life? Or will you swallow the red pill (丹) and follow him on his adventures in the submarine?
prefecture / (old) province / (old) administrative division / state (e.g. of US) / oblast (Russia) / canton (Switzerland)
州
=
丶
+
丷
+
川
:
Mnemonic symbol: the red cotton tree, as it is the official flower of 广州 (Guangzhou). A new river (川) formed spontaneously in front of the outhouse (ou1), and James II of England (zh) was barely able to climb on a red cotton tree (州). Other animals are happy about this development: a mean crocodile (丷) is floating on a petal leaf (丶) towards the red cotton tree.
continent / island in a river
洲
=
州
+
氵
:
James II of England (zh) traveled to a new continent (洲), founded a new nation, and built a replica of the outhouse which looks exactly like the original one. To celebrate his achievements he planted a red cotton tree (州) in front of the replica outhouse (ou1). Every day, he waters it with a bottle of water (氵) to commemorate the old continent.