一葉知秋

一

yi̅

叶

葉

yè

知

zhi̅

秋

qiu̅

lit. the falling of one leaf heralds the coming of autumn (idiom) / fig. a small sign can indicate a great trend / a straw in the wind

Characters and words in 一葉知秋

一

yi̅ = y + Ø1

one / single / a (article) / as soon as / entire; whole; all; throughout / "one" radical in Chinese characters (Kangxi radical 1) / also pr. [yao1] for greater clarity when spelling out numbers digit by digit

Add a new mnemonic for 一 =

Maud Younger (y) forgot her keys to the space station (Ø1), all she brought outside was her flute (一). She has no choice but to crash the door with the giant flute.

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叶

葉

yè = y + e4

leaf / page / lobe / (historical) period / classifier for small boats / a surname

Add a new mnemonic for 叶 = 十 + 口

Add a new mnemonic for 葉 = 艹 + 枼

叶 = 十 + 口 : Maud Younger (y) practised a trick shot all day in the elevator's bathroom (e4). She's now able to throw a leaf (叶) high in the air, then quickly throw a mandarin (口) and beat the mandarin with a cross (十) like a baseball with a bat so that the mandarin rips a hole right into the leaf.

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叶 = 十 + 口 : You could see the cross 十 as the leaves 叶 of the mandarin 口.

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知

zhi̅ = zh + Ø1

to know / to be aware

Add a new mnemonic for 知 = 口 + 矢

知 = 口 + 矢 : Mnemonic symbol: Francis Bacon is attributed to have stated "scientia potentia est", "knowledge is power". I'll thus represent 知 by Francis Bacon. Francis Bacon (知) and James II of England (zh) are playing darts (矢) in front of the space station (Ø1). Because they lack a dart board they just use a mandarin (口).

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秋

qiu̅ = qi + ou1

autumn / fall / harvest time

Add a new mnemonic for 秋 = 火 + 禾

秋 = 火 + 禾 : Mnemonic symbol: from 秋千 (qiu1 qian1), swing (seat hung from a frame or branch).

The Queen of Hearts (qi) celebrates autumn (秋) by offering sacrifices. She puts a bowl of cereals (禾) onto a swing (秋) and has the cereals swing into a fire (火) in front of the outhouse (ou1).

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