Pinyin initial: "d"

The Pinyin initial "d" is used in the first half of Pinyin syllables. In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, "d" belongs to the group of Pinyin initials which are represented in mnemonics by men. You can visit the Pinyin index to see all Pinyin syllables from this mnemonic group, or to see all Pinyin syllables "d" can appear in.

Mnemonics for d

D is for Don Quixote.

Characters with d

knife / blade / single-edged sword / cutlass / CL:把[ba3] / (slang) dollar (loanword) / classifier for sets of one hundred sheets (of paper) / classifier for knife cuts or stabs

= + 丿 : Mnemonic symbol: 刀 looks like a cleaver (while 刂 looks like a kitchen knife).

Don Quixote (d) serves his good deed of the day in front of the aorta (ao1). In order to feed the people, he uses a plow (㇆) to dig up bananas (丿), and cuts them into slices with a broad cleaver (刀).
de = d + e5
of; ~'s (possessive particle) / (used after an attribute) / (used to form a nominal expression) / (used at the end of a declarative sentence for emphasis) / also pr. [di4] or [di5] in poetry and songs

= + : Don Quixote (d) ends up on the elevator's roof (e5) after a standoff. His only weapon left is a silver spoon (勺), so he can only wave with a white flag (白).
dawn / morning / daybreak / day / dan, female roles in Chinese opera (traditionally played by specialized male actors)

= + : Mnemonic symbol: A big mug, since many people start the day with a mug of coffee.

Don Quixote (d) meets the sun (日) early in the morning (旦) in the anthill's bathroom (an4). Don Quixote is full of energy and can't wait to start into a new adventure, but since the sun is a morning grouch who only just started drinking her mug of coffee (mnemonic symbol for 旦) she cannot stand it and beats him over the head with a flute (一) to calm him a bit down.
garrulous

= + : Don Quixote (d) is chopping up a mandarin (口) with a cleaver (刀) in front of the aorta (ao1), but because he is chatting (叨) so much he doesn't pay attention and chops off his fingers.
see 大夫[dai4 fu5]
big; large; great / older (than another person) / eldest (as in 大姐[da4 jie3]) / greatly; freely; fully / (dialect) father / (dialect) uncle (father's brother)

= + : The big (大), huge (大) robot (mnemonic symbol for 大) is working out in the ashram's bathroom (a4). He's lifting a flute (一) to which Don Quixote (d) and Neanderthal man (人) are clinging.
lamp / light / lantern / CL:盞|盏[zhan3]

= + : Don Quixote (d) was going for a walk in front of the engine ((e)ng1) with his lantern (灯) when it suddenly catched fire (火). He used a lantern which utilizes hydrogen, and when he accidentally ripped his lantern open at a nail (丁) on the floor, the hydrogen caught fire.
foolish / stupid / expressionless / blank / to stay

= + : The fool wants to make fun of Don Quixote in front of the airplane. To fool him, he set up a Christmas tree to look like a huge animal by putting a mandarin on top which looks like the head of the animal. Don Quixote thinks he met his arch enemy and starts to charge the construction, much to the fool's delight.
bill / list / form / single / only / sole / odd number / CL:個|个[ge4]

= + + : In front of the anthill there are many, really a field of crosses because Don Quixote killed so many people on his crusades. Today is his judgement day: a mean crocodile reads the list of his victims to him, and Don Quixote is really 不好意思.
gall bladder / courage / guts / gall / inner container (e.g. bladder of a football, inner container of a thermos)

= + : Don Quixote (d) suffers from a huge moon-shaped (月) gall stone (胆), so inside of the anthill (an3) he drinks medicine from a big mug (旦). His moon gall stone is so big, it has gall stones on its own and it is drinking medicine from a mug as well.
but / yet / however / only / merely / still

= + : Rosa Luxemburg and Don Quixote meet each other in the early morning in the anthill's bathroom, but they both only started their morning coffee (which is in their mugs) and are not in the mood to talk yet.
to wait / to treat / to deal with / to need / going to (do sth) / about to / intending to
to stay

= + : In front of the airplane someone devoted huge black sneakers to the local buddhist shrine. Don Quixote fits into them with his whole body and the sneakers are so cozy that he thinks he could stay like this forever.
red / pellet / powder / cinnabar

= + : Ever since Don Quixote stapled a beret to his head in front of the anthill, he has these weird headaches. To fight them, he swallows lots of painkillers in form of red pills.
de = d + e5
-ly / structural particle: used before a verb or adjective, linking it to preceding modifying adverbial adjunct
old variant of 兜[dou1]

= + + : Sun Wukong (儿) and Don Quixote (d) are teasing and running in circles (兜) around Erich Honecker (卬) in front of the outhouse (ou1), and he has no other choice but to wave with his white flag (白).
pocket / bag / to wrap up or hold in a bag / to move in a circle / to canvas or solicit / to take responsibility for / to disclose in detail / combat armor (old)

= + + : Sun Wukong (儿) and Don Quixote (d) are teasing and running in circles (兜) around Erich Honecker (卬) in front of the outhouse (ou1), and he has no other choice but to wave with his white flag (白).
bad / wicked / evil / Kangxi radical 78

= + : Mnemonic symbol: a wicked witch.

Don Quixote (d) is hypnotized by a wicked witch (歹) playing her flute (一) in the airplane (ai3). She's playing her magic flute in order to sedate Don Quixote, so that her bats (夕) can drink his blood.
dry measure for grain equal to ten dou 斗[dou3]; one hundred liters / ancient pr. [shi2]
dry measure for grain equal to ten dou 斗 / ten pecks / one hundred liters