Pinyin "xi1"
In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, the Pinyin syllable "xi1" is split up into two parts: "xi" and "Ø1". You can visit the Pinyin index to see how other Pinyin syllables are split up into initials and finals.
Mnemonics for Pinyin initial "xi"
Xi is for Marie Curie.
Alternative mnemonic for xi: Xi Shi (西施), one of the renowned Four Beauties of ancient China.
Mnemonics for Pinyin final "Ø1"
In front of the space station.
Characters pronounced xi1
former times / the past / Taiwan pr. [xi2]
昔
=
井
+
日
:
Mnemonic symbol: From 奶昔, milkshake
In former times, Marie Curie thought that at the end of every day, the sun falls into a well and therefore the light goes off. Nowadays as she is floating in front of the space station, she finds that she was right: as in the former times, every evening the sun goes into the well to fetch herself a milkshake.
In former times, Marie Curie thought that at the end of every day, the sun falls into a well and therefore the light goes off. Nowadays as she is floating in front of the space station, she finds that she was right: as in the former times, every evening the sun goes into the well to fetch herself a milkshake.
breath / news / interest (on an investment or loan) / to cease / to stop / to rest / Taiwan pr. [xi2]
to extinguish / to put out (fire) / to quench / to stop burning / to go out (of fire, lamp etc) / to come to an end / to wither away / to die out / Taiwan pr. [xi2]
dusk / evening / Taiwan pr. [xi4]
Mnemonic symbol: this character looks a bit like a bat, and bats come out of their caves at dusk. I could see the upper left 丿 as part of the bat's right wing, ㇇ as the body/head and 丶 as the eye of the bat.
Xi Shi (xi) goes out for a space walk in front of the space station (Ø1) in the evening (夕), where she observes a space bat.
Xi Shi (xi) goes out for a space walk in front of the space station (Ø1) in the evening (夕), where she observes a space bat.
the West / abbr. for Spain 西班牙[Xi1 ban1 ya2] / Spanish
to separate / to divide / to analyze
to cherish / to begrudge / to pity / Taiwan pr. [xi2]
惜
=
忄
+
昔
:
NASA ordered Marie Curie (xi) to do an experiment for them in front of the space station (Ø1). They are spending 2000000000 bucks to see what happens when you crush a milk shake (昔) with a flail (忄) in outer space. Marie Curie thinks it is a pity (惜) and would rather drink her cherished (惜) milk shake rather than crush it.
tin (chemistry) / to bestow / to confer / to grant / Taiwan pr. [xi2]
锡
=
易
+
钅
:
Marie Curie (xi) wants to unpack her new puzzle (易) in front of the space station (Ø1). It should be very simple (易) to unpack because it is merely wrapped in tin foil (锡), but Marie just can't manage to unpack the puzzle. In the end she has to use a golden harpoon (钅) to tear the tin foil apart.
to breathe / to suck in / to absorb / to inhale
knee
膝
=
月
+
木
+
人
+
氺
:
Marie Curie (xi) and Neanderthal Man (人) are waiting for their Christmas presents next to the Christmas tree (木) in front of the space station (Ø1). They got a brand new aqueduct (氺) from the moon (月). As they open their present they cannot decide who gets to play with it first and break it as they fight over it. The moon is very angry about the two and puts them over his knee (膝).
old variant of 膝[xi1]
膝
=
月
+
木
+
人
+
氺
:
Marie Curie (xi) and Neanderthal Man (人) are waiting for their Christmas presents next to the Christmas tree (木) in front of the space station (Ø1). They got a brand new aqueduct (氺) from the moon (月). As they open their present they cannot decide who gets to play with it first and break it as they fight over it. The moon is very angry about the two and puts them over his knee (膝).
in all cases / know
悉
=
心
+
釆
:
Marie Curie (xi) noticed that her heart (心) is not working very well in front of the space station (Ø1). It is probably just the lack of any atmosphere and freezing temperature; but in all cases (悉) she wants to know (悉) what is going on and takes a few samples with her sampling tool (釆).