Pinyin final: "an4"

The Pinyin final "an4" is used in the second half of Pinyin syllables. In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, the second half of a Pinyin syllable is always represented by a location. You can visit the Pinyin index to see all Pinyin syllables from this mnemonic group, or to see all Pinyin syllables "an4" can appear in.

Mnemonics for an4

In the anthill's bathroom.

Characters with an4

捍
hàn = h + an4
to ward off (a blow) / to withstand / to defend
捍 = 扌 + 旱 : A marmot (旱) wants to cuddle with Hamlet (h) in the anthill's bathroom (an4), but Hamlet wards (捍) the marmot off with a toy claw (扌).
垫
墊
diàn = di + an4
pad / cushion / mat / to pad out / to fill a gap / to pay for sb / to advance (money)
垫 = 土 + 执 : Dorothy Gale (di) built an air cushion (垫) vehicle out of dirt (土) in the anthill's bathroom (an4) and happily rides it in circles, until a police officer appears and asks for her license (执).
拌
bàn = b + an4
to mix / to mix in / to toss (a salad)
拌 = 半 + 扌 : Beelzebub (b) stirs up (拌) King Solomon (半) with a toy claw (扌) in the anthill's bathroom (an4).
探
tàn = t + an4
to explore / to search out / to scout / to visit / to stretch forward
探 = 扌 + 罙 : Tecumseh (t) is exploring (探) the chimney of a kitchen range (罙) in the anthill's bathroom (an4). He uses two toy claws (扌) to climb inside of it from bottom to top.
探 = 扌 + 冖 + 八 + 木 : Tecumseh (t) lost an eight-ball (八) during the last billiard game and goes scouting (探) to find it. Eventually he arrives at the anthill's bathroom (an4) and looks under a big Christmas tree (木). He lifts a cooking top (冖) with a toy claw (扌) and finally finds the eight-ball under it.
宪
憲
xiàn = xi + an4
statute / constitution
宪 = 先 + 宀 : Marie Curie (xi) wants to commemorate the FLOTUS (先) and sets up a statue (宪) in the anthill's bathroom (an4). The statue is wearing a graduation cap (宀) and holding the constitution (宪) as if it were reading it to the people.
念
niàn = ni + an4
to read / to study (a subject) / to attend (a school) / to read aloud / to give (sb) a tongue-lashing (CL:頓|顿[dun4]) / to miss (sb) / idea / remembrance / twenty (banker's anti-fraud numeral corresponding to 廿[nian4])
念 = 今 + 心 : Mnemonic symbol: a lectern to read something aloud.
念
唸
niàn = ni + an4
variant of 念[nian4], to read aloud
念 = 今 + 心 : Mnemonic symbol: a lectern to read something aloud.
限
xiàn = xi + an4
to limit / to restrict / (bound form) limit / bound
限 = 艮 + 阝 : Marie Curie (xi) caught the pope (阝) munching chewing gum (艮) in the anthill's bathroom (an4). Marie hates it when someone puts their chewing gum just anywhere in the room, so she marks a confined space with red and white tape and sends the pope to stay within the limits (限) while he is chewing.
舰
艦
jiàn = ji + an4
warship
舰 = 舟 + 见 : Joan of Arc (ji) found a very old yellow submarine (舟) in the anthill's bathroom (an4). She is able to retrieve an old surveillance camera (见) from it and can see on the videotape how the submarine was totaled by a warship (舰) during the last war.
汉
漢
hàn = h + an4
man
汉 = 又 + 氵 : Hamlet wants to become a real han and so he has been practising boxing in the anthill's bathroom all day long. He's sweating a lot and without taking off his boxing gloves he grabs a bottle of water to quench his thirst.
汉
漢
hàn = h + an4
Han ethnic group / Chinese (language) / the Han dynasty (206 BC-220 AD)
汉 = 又 + 氵 : Hamlet wants to become a real han and so he has been practising boxing in the anthill's bathroom all day long. He's sweating a lot and without taking off his boxing gloves he grabs a bottle of water to quench his thirst.
淡
dàn = d + an4
insipid / diluted / weak / mild / light in color / tasteless / indifferent / (variant of 氮[dan4]) nitrogen
淡 = 氵 + 炎 : Don Quixote (d) found out that the water in the anthill's bathroom (an4) is potable (淡), so he instantly started making dumplings and to fill the water in a lot of water bottles (氵). Now he is laying in one corner having the itis (炎) since he ate and drunk too much.
渐
漸
jiàn = ji + an4
gradual / gradually
渐 = 斩 + 氵 : Joan of Arc (ji) didn't dispose of her empty water bottles (氵) for a long time. Instead, she just hoarded them in the anthill's bathroom (an4). Today she wants to get rid of the bottles: step by step (渐), little by little (渐) she cuts them down using a lawn mower (斩).
汗
hàn = h + an4
perspiration / sweat / CL:滴[di1],頭|头[tou2],身[shen1] / to be speechless (out of helplessness, embarrassment etc) (Internet slang used as an interjection)
汗 = 干 + 氵 : Hamlet is sweating a lot in the anthill's bathroom. He ate hot and spicy dried chilies and even a bottle of water can't help to quench his thirst.
淀
diàn = di + an4
shallow water
淀 = 定 + 氵 : Dorothy Gale visits the bathroom of the anthill, when suddenly the pipes of the toilets break! Soon, there's lots of shallow water, precipitate and sediment everywhere. Dorothy does her best to catch the water with bottles, and to fix the pipes with duct tape.
淀
澱
diàn = di + an4
sediment / precipitate
淀 = 定 + 氵 : Dorothy Gale visits the bathroom of the anthill, when suddenly the pipes of the toilets break! Soon, there's lots of shallow water, precipitate and sediment everywhere. Dorothy does her best to catch the water with bottles, and to fix the pipes with duct tape.
惦
diàn = di + an4
to think of / to remember / to miss
惦 = 店 + 忄 : Dorothy Gale (di) often misses (惦) her store (店) in the anthill's bathroom (an4) which she destroyed with a flail (忄) in a fit of violent temper.
涮
shuàn = shu + an4
to rinse / to trick / to fool sb / to cook by dipping finely sliced ingredients briefly in boiling water or soup (generally done at the dining table)
涮 = 刷 + 氵 : After brushing his teeth (刷) Sheldon Shrimp (shu) usually rinses (涮) his mouth with a bottle of water (氵) in the anthill's bathroom (an4).
扇
shàn = sh + an4
fan / sliding, hinged or detachable flat part of sth / classifier for doors, windows etc
扇 = 户 + 羽 : Sherlock Holmes (sh) tries to escape the summer heat in the anthill's bathroom (an4). He makes a fan (扇) by attaching a lot of feathers (羽) to a swinging door (户) and fans some fresh air towards himself.
羡
羨
xiàn = xi + an4
to envy
羡 = 次 + 羊 : Marie Curie (xi) envies (羡) the sheep (羊) for that nice cube (次) it has in the anthill's bathroom (an4).