Pinyin "zhai2"

In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, the Pinyin syllable "zhai2" is split up into two parts: "zh" and "ai2". 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, zhān​mǔ​sī èr​shì).

Mnemonics for Pinyin final "ai2"

In the airplane's kitchen.

Characters pronounced zhai2

宅
zhái = zh + ai2
residence / (coll.) to stay in at home / to hang around at home
宅 = 乇 + 宀 : Mnemonic symbol: hanging around at home playing video games. After graduating, James II of England (zh) stays at home all day (宅) playing video games in the airplane's kitchen (ai2) while wearing his graduation cap (宀). He plays a game where he has to yield a blade of grass (乇) to control the sword master in his video game.
翟
zhái = zh + ai2
surname Zhai
翟 = 羽 + 隹 : In the airplane's kitchen (ai2) James II of England (zh) gives a present to Herbert Allen Giles (翟) for his contributions to the Wade-Giles system, a long-tail pheasant. As Herbert receives the bird he finds that it is just a sparrow (隹) with long feathers (羽) attached.