Pinyin "xiao4"

In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, the Pinyin syllable "xiao4" is split up into two parts: "xi" and "ao4". You can visit the Pinyin index to see how other Pinyin syllables are split up into initials and finals.

Mnemonics for Pinyin initial "xi"

Xi is for Marie Curie.
Alternative mnemonic for xi: Xi Shi (西施), one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China.

Mnemonics for Pinyin final "ao4"

In the aorta's bathroom.

Characters pronounced xiao4

filial piety or obedience / mourning apparel

= + : Mnemonic symbol: a mourning veil. Marie Curie (xi) was breeding an egg (子) in the aorta's bathroom (ao4), and she even put a crown (⺹) on it (the crown is on top of the egg: 孝), so much she loved her little prince. Unfortunately the egg died, and thus Marie Curie put on her mourning veil (孝).
old variant of 笑[xiao4]

= + : This character just looks like a certain laughing cat: ⺮ are the eyes and 夭 looks like the snout.

= + : In the aorta's bathroom, Marie Curie tells Snow White a story how she once hoaxed the whole university into believing that her simple bamboo stick can be used as fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor. She can't stop laughing while she tells her story.
laugh / smile / CL:個|个[ge4]

= + : In the aorta's bathroom, Marie Curie tells Snow White a story how she once hoaxed the whole university into believing that her simple bamboo stick can be used as fuel assembly in a nuclear reactor. She can't stop laughing while she tells her story.

= + : This character just looks like a certain laughing cat: ⺮ are the eyes and 夭 looks like the snout.
to laugh; to smile / to laugh at
school / military officer / CL:所[suo3]

= + : In the aorta's bathroom, Marie Curie and Linus Pauling find their Christmas presents of a lifetime under a Christmas tree. They are given the gift of being able to go to school so that they can become accomplished scientists.
similar / resembling / to resemble / to be like

= + : The aloe vera on the moon resembles the rose on the little prince's planet. Thus I'll represent this character by the little prince.

In the aorta's bathroom, the little prince misses his asteroid and his rose so much. To comfort him, Marie Curie gives him a moon and an aloe vera to remind him of home.
effect / efficacy / to imitate

= + : Marie Curie (xi) and Linus Pauling (交) are testing their new special effects (效) equipment in the aorta's bathroom (ao4). Marie creates lots of fog by crushing a rock with a sledgehammer (攵), and Linus creates lots of sparks by crushing a flint stone with a sledgehammer.
variant of 傚|效[xiao4]

= + : Marie Curie (xi) and Linus Pauling (交) are testing their new special effects (效) equipment in the aorta's bathroom (ao4). Marie creates lots of fog by crushing a rock with a sledgehammer (攵), and Linus creates lots of sparks by crushing a flint stone with a sledgehammer.
variant of 效[xiao4] / to imitate

= + : Marie Curie (xi) and Linus Pauling (交) are testing their new special effects (效) equipment in the aorta's bathroom (ao4). Marie creates lots of fog by crushing a rock with a sledgehammer (攵), and Linus creates lots of sparks by crushing a flint stone with a sledgehammer.
variant of 效[xiao4]

= + : Marie Curie (xi) and Linus Pauling (交) are testing their new special effects (效) equipment in the aorta's bathroom (ao4). Marie creates lots of fog by crushing a rock with a sledgehammer (攵), and Linus creates lots of sparks by crushing a flint stone with a sledgehammer.
to imitate (variant of 效[xiao4])
to hiss / to whistle

= + : Marie Curie (xi) found a mandarin (口) in the aorta's bathroom (ao4), but she doesn't know if there are any critters inside. To purge (肃) the mandarin she whistles (啸) very loudly to drive away any critters inside the mandarin.
pant / roar / bark (of animals) / Taiwan pr. [xiao1]
cheerful