鮮為人知

鲜

鮮

xiǎn

为

為

wéi

人

rén

知

zhi̅

rarely known to anyone (idiom); almost unknown / secret to all but a few

Characters and words in 鮮為人知

鲜

鮮

xia̅n = xi + an1

fresh / bright (in color) / delicious / tasty / delicacy / aquatic foods

鲜 = 羊 + 鱼 : Marie Curie (xi) devours her lunch in front of the anthill (an1). It consists of a dead sheep (羊) and a dead fish (鱼). Marie Curie eats the carcasses and thinks that they are very fresh (鲜) and delicious (鲜). They are, because Marie killed the sheep and the fish just one minute ago.

鲜

鮮

xiǎn = xi + an3

few / rare

为

為

wéi = w + ei2

as (in the capacity of) / to take sth as / to act as / to serve as / to behave as / to become / to be / to do / by (in the passive voice)

为

為

wèi = w + ei4

because of / for / to

为 = ⺀ + 力 : This one looks like a bird with crazy hair, and when I googled "bird with crazy hair", wow was I amazed how many birds with crazy hair there are! Penguins are birds with crazy hair! So let's use a penguin for this character.

为 = ⺀ + 力 : The crazy hair penguin wants to use the Eiffel Tower's bathroom, but because Willy Walrus just finished it stinks like hell. The first thing crazy hair penguin does is to press the button to release a heap of blossoms to make the air breathable again.

为

為

wéi

人

rén

to conduct oneself / behavior / conduct / personal character

为

為

wèi

人

rén

for sb / for others' interest

人

rén = r + (e)n2

person; people / CL:個|个[ge4],位[wei4]

人 = 丿 + ㇏ : Mnemonic symbol: Neanderthal Man (人). Robinson Crusoe (r-) is looking for snacks in the encampment's kitchen (-en2) when he suddenly spots Neanderthal Man (人). Neanderthal Man offers him a banana (丿), but Robinson Crusoe doesn't trust the present and pokes it with a finger (㇏).

知

zhi̅ = zh + Ø1

to know / to be aware

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).