Pinyin initial: "xu"

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

Mnemonics for xu

Xu is for Xu Xian.

Characters with xu

ten days / ten years / full period

= + : Mnemonic symbol: to fast for ten days.

Xu Xian (xu) has been fasting for ten days now (旬). He tries to get by just by absorbing the sun's (日) energy, but as he is sun bathing in the encampment's kitchen ((e)n2) and a fat elephant (勹) walks by he cannot help but bite the elephant's leg.
sh / hush
elder brother

= + : Xu Xian and his older brother Apollo are arguing about a mandarin in front of the engine. As mischievous as he is, Sun Wu Kong sneaks in and steals the mandarin, just to eat it himself.
dawn / rising sun

= + : The character 旭 looks like the sun rising over a mountain. Xu Xian (xu) is watching the sun (日) rising (旭) over cloud nine (九) in the space station's bathroom (Ø4).
to whirl / immediately / variant of 鏇|镟[xuan4]
to revolve / a loop / a circle

= + 𠂉 + : Mnemonic symbol: a whirlwind.

Xu Xian (xu) is delivering packets in the anthill's kitchen (an2). First he has to disable the alarm, so he uses the key (𠂉) to open a square (方) and pushes the button. Next he whirls around the room delivering his packets so quickly that he creates a whirlwind (旋), which is so fierce that the stick figure (正) gets blown all around the room.
cave / cavity / hole / acupuncture point / Taiwan pr. [xue4]

= + : Xu Xian presents his newest piece of art: Cave paintings painted on a gigantic eight-ball. Somehow he managed to set it up inside the elevators entrance. For his great artistic achievement, he gained a honorary doctor, and proudly wears his hard earned graduation cap.
to search / to look for / to seek

= + : Mnemonic symbol: a dowsing rod 寻水术. Not to be confused with 丫!

Xu Xian (xu) built a new dowsing rod (寻) which he tests just inside the Erechtheion's entrance ((e)n2). He prepared a huge pig snout (彐) of which he filled one nostril with water and one with wine. To his satisfaction, the dowsing rod reacts only to the wine, so he thumbs up (寸) satisfied. He'll go and search (寻) more wine with it immediately.
vicious / fierce / ominous / inauspicious / famine / variant of 兇|凶[xiong1]

= + : Mnemonic symbol: a vicious (凶) demon mask. Xu Xian (xu) tried out an electric demon mask (凶) in front of the engine ((e)ng1), but now he can't take it off anymore. He already tried to pull the cable out of the receptacle (凵), but it didn't work. Maybe he has more luck using pliers (乂) to pull at the mask.
terrible / fearful
to learn / to study / to imitate / science / -ology

= + + : Xu Xian wants to study scienceology and learn more about daisies. Just inside the elevator's kitchen, he put some daisies into a prize cup and covered them with a cooking top. He wants to study the growth rate of the daisies depending on the pH of the water in the prize cup.
to follow / to adhere to / to abide by

= + : Xu Xian (xu) is following (循) his hero into the encampment. In the kitchen ((e)n2) he is walking a path made out of shields (盾) wearing black sneakers (彳).
to pare / to reduce / to remove / Taiwan pr. [xue4]

= + : Olymp's rulers decided that they want to reduce (削) their staff. In front of the elevator (e1) Xu Xian (xu) and the little prince (肖) have to fight with kitchen knifes (刂) to see who will be allowed to stay.
to hang or suspend / to worry / public announcement / unresolved / baseless / without foundation

= + : Xu Xian (xu) is overwhelmed to find the shape of his home county (县) hanging (悬) from the wall in the anthill's kitchen (an2). He starts crying and hangs (悬) his heart (心) on the shape as sign of recognition.
variant of 勛|勋[xun1]
medal / merit

= + : Xu Xian (xu) awards a medal (勋) to the waiter (员) because every time he pushes the power button (力) in front of the encampment ((e)n1) the waiter appears immediately.
variant of 勛|勋[xun1]
snow / CL:場|场[chang2] / (literary) to wipe away (a humiliation etc)

= + : Xu Xian (xu) got into very bad weather in the elevator (e3). It has been snowing (雪) a lot, so everything is covered in snow. But now it is raining (雨)! Xu Xian uses a pig snout (彐) above his head to protect himself from the rain while he carefully moves on the slippery ground.
surname Xue

= + : Xu Xian (xu) got into very bad weather in the elevator (e3). It has been snowing (雪) a lot, so everything is covered in snow. But now it is raining (雨)! Xu Xian uses a pig snout (彐) above his head to protect himself from the rain while he carefully moves on the slippery ground.
to choose / to pick / to select / to elect

= + : Xu Xian (xu) squired the FLOTUS (先) to go shopping, but inside of the anthill (an3) he soon regrets his decision as he has to help the FLOTUS select (选) one pair of gladiator sandals (辶) out of hundreds of similar looking pairs.