Pinyin initial: "l"

The Pinyin initial "l" is used in the first half of Pinyin syllables. In MandarinBanana's mnemonic system, "l" belongs to the group of Pinyin initials which are represented in mnemonics by men. You can visit the Pinyin index to see all Pinyin syllables from this mnemonic group, or to see all Pinyin syllables "l" can appear in.

Mnemonics for l

L is for Sir Lancelot.

Characters with l

楼
樓
lóu = l + ou2
surname Lou
楼 = 娄 + 木 : In the outhouse's kitchen (ou2), Sir Lancelot (l) set up a Christmas tree (木) next to his lunar mansion (娄). Lancelot made himself a Christmas present by adding another floor on top of his lunar mansion. His lunar mansion now is a big, storied building (楼).
楼
樓
lóu = l + ou2
house with more than 1 story / storied building / floor / CL:層|层[ceng2],座[zuo4],棟|栋[dong4]
楼 = 娄 + 木 : In the outhouse's kitchen (ou2), Sir Lancelot (l) set up a Christmas tree (木) next to his lunar mansion (娄). Lancelot made himself a Christmas present by adding another floor on top of his lunar mansion. His lunar mansion now is a big, storied building (楼).
搂
摟
lǒu = l + ou3
to hug / to embrace / to hold in one's arms
搂 = 娄 + 扌 : Sir Lancelot (l) hides his lunar mansion (娄) inside the outhouse (ou3). In his lunar mansion he embraces (搂) the victims he caught earlier with his toy claws (扌).
搂
摟
lo̅u = l + ou1
to draw towards oneself / to gather / to gather up (one's gown, sleeves etc) / to grab (money) / to extort
搂 = 娄 + 扌 : In front of the outhouse (ou1) Sir Lancelot (l) is drawing (搂) everyone into his lunar mansion (娄) using a toy claw (扌).
络
絡
lào = l + ao4
small net
缆
纜
lǎn = l + an3
cable / hawser / to moor
勒
le̅i = l + ei1
to strap tightly / to bind
勒
lè = l + e4
to rein in / to compel / to force / to carve / to engrave / (literary) to command / to lead / bridle / (physics) abbr. for 勒克斯[le4 ke4 si1], lux
勒 = 力 + 革 : Sir Lancelot (l) constructed a mechanical bull in the elevator's bathroom (e4), mainly just using a cow's hide (革) and a power button (力). To rein in (勒) the wild mechanical bull he presses the button and rides the bull again and again.
蓝
藍
lán = l + an2
surname Lan
蓝 = 艹 + 监 : Lancelot (l) as been trapped in a cage (监) in the anthill's kitchen (an2) for quite some time now and all he gets to eat are blue-green (蓝) algae. Once the blue-green algae have been processed by his body, they change into artificial lawn (艹) which his captors remove from his cage to sell it.
蓝
藍
lán = l + an2
blue / indigo plant
蓝 = 艹 + 监 : Lancelot (l) as been trapped in a cage (监) in the anthill's kitchen (an2) for quite some time now and all he gets to eat are blue-green (蓝) algae. Once the blue-green algae have been processed by his body, they change into artificial lawn (艹) which his captors remove from his cage to sell it.
篮
籃
lán = l + an2
basket (receptacle) / basket (in basketball)
篮 = ⺮ + 监 : Sir Lancelot (l) has been put into a prison cage (监) in the anthill's kitchen (an2). There is a basketball hoop (篮) inside his cage, but every time he is about to dump one, someone sticks a bamboo stick (⺮) into the cage and prevents the ball from going trough the net just to annoy Lancelot.
滥
濫
làn = l + an4
overflowing / excessive / indiscriminate
滥 = 氵 + 监 : Sir Lancelot (l) wants to stock up on water, and he plans to store it in the anthill's bathroom (an4). He keeps on pouring water bottles (氵) in a cage (监), but the cage just overflows (滥). As the water flows out of the cage Lancelot gets even more enraged and pours more and more water.
狼
láng = l + ang2
wolf / CL:匹[pi3],隻|只[zhi1],條|条[tiao2]
狼 = 犭 + 良 : Sir Lancelot (l) took his dachshund (犭) out for a walk and in the anglepod's kitchen (ang2) they met a wolf (狼). The dachshund played a very long time with the wolf and at the end of the day, the dachshund gives the wolf a thank you card (良) for playing with him for such a long time.
落
lào = l + ao4
colloquial reading for 落[luo4] in certain compounds
落
là = l + a4
to leave out / to be missing / to leave behind or forget to bring / to lag or fall behind
耒
lěi = l + ei3
plow
耒 = 丰 + 八 : Mnemonic symbol: a big modern plow used to free the streets from snow.

Sir Lancelot (l) is clearing the Eiffel Tower (ei3) from snow using his plow (耒). There are sometimes eight balls (八) hidden under the snow which he collects in a golden cage (丰) so as not to damage his plow.
漏
lòu = l + ou4
to leak / to divulge / to leave out by mistake / waterclock or hourglass (old)
漏 = 氵 + 尸 + 雨 : Sir Lancelot (l) accidentally leaked (漏) a ghost (尸) from a water bottle (氵) in the outhouse's bathroom (ou4). Promptly the ghosts starts to have it rain (雨) all over the place to annoy the people.
棱
léng = l + (e)ng2
square beam / variant of 稜|棱[leng2]
棱
稜
léng = l + (e)ng2
corner / edge / arris (sharp ridge formed by two surfaces meeting at an edge) / protrusion
剌
lá = l + a2
to slash