Pinyin "zao1"

In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, the Pinyin syllable "zao1" is split up into two parts: "z" and "ao1". You can visit the Pinyin index to see how other Pinyin syllables are split up into initials and finals.

Mnemonics for Pinyin initial "z"

Z is for Zorro.

Mnemonics for Pinyin final "ao1"

In front of the aorta.

Characters pronounced zao1

糟
za̅o = z + ao1
dregs / draff / pickled in wine / rotten / messy / ruined
糟 = 曹 + 米 : Zorro (z) found a very rotten, dead (糟) herring (曹) in a sack of rice (米) and now the rice is a total waste (糟). He gets rid of the rice and the herring in front of the aorta (ao1).
遭
za̅o = z + ao1
to meet by chance (usually with misfortune) / classifier for events: time, turn, incident
遭 = 曹 + 辶 : Once upon a time (遭) Zorro (b) caught a huge white Chinese herring (曹) and brought it back to the aorta (ao1), but he met with misfortune (遭) as he dropped the herring onto his new gladiator sandals (辶) in front of the aorta (ao1).
傮
za̅o = z + ao1
finish, to go around
蹧
za̅o = z + ao1
see 蹧蹋[zao1 ta4]