南箕北斗

lit. the Winnowing Basket in the southern sky, and the Big Dipper in the north (idiom) / fig. sth which, despite its name, is of no practical use

Characters and words in 南箕北斗

南

nán = n + an2

surname Nan

南

nán = n + an2

south

南 = 十 + 冂 + 丷 + 干 : Mnemonic symbol: a palm tree (palms are only found in the south)

南 = 十 + 冂 + 丷 + 干 : Napoleon and the mean crocodile met in the anthill's kitchen to discuss a secret plan. The mean crocodile found a map which leads to a treasure of dried fruits. Napoleon and the mean crocodile agree to follow the map and claim the dried fruits, but each of them has his own secret agenda: Napoleon wants to claim the land and put up his big cross, and the crocodile just wants to relax under a palm tree.

箕

ji̅ = ji + Ø1

winnow basket

北

běi = b + ei3

north / (classical) to be defeated

北 = 丬 + 匕 : A compass rose. In the Eiffel Tower, Beelzebub tries to build a compass. As a baseplate he uses a piece of wood, on which he sticks the north pike of a compass rose. On the south pike he balances a ladle, which is supposed to adjust itself to earth's magnetic field.

北

běi

斗

dǒu

Great Bear / Big Dipper / Beidou or Peitou Town in Changhua County 彰化縣|彰化县[Zhang1 hua4 Xian4], Taiwan

斗

dǒu = d + ou3

abbr. for the Big Dipper constellation 北斗星[Bei3 dou3 xing1]

斗

dǒu = d + ou3

dry measure for grain equal to ten 升[sheng1] or one-tenth of a 石[dan4] / decaliter / peck / cup or dipper shaped object / old variant of 陡[dou3]

斗

鬥

dòu = d + ou4

to fight / to struggle / to condemn / to censure / to contend / to put together / coming together

斗 = ⺀ + 十 : Mnemonic symbol: a 斗牛士 (dou4 niu2 shi4) is a matador, who will represent 斗 when used as component.

The matador (斗) and Don Quixote (d) are fighting (斗) in the outhouse's bathroom (ou4) about who may use the bathroom next. The matador yields a holy cross (十) as a weapon, while Don Quixote (d) wisely chose a blossom (⺀) to cushion the crosses' blows.