Pinyin initial: "tu"

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

Mnemonics for tu

Tu is for Tommy Turtle.

Characters with tu

团

團

tuán = tu + an2

round / lump / ball / to roll into a ball / to gather / regiment / group / society / classifier for a lump or a soft mass: wad (of paper), ball (of wool), cloud (of smoke)

团 = 囗 + 才 : Tommy Turtle (tu) inspects the super secret box (囗) in the anthill's kitchen (an2). He's not supposed to open it, but with his super X-ray vision ability (才), he can see that it is filled with balls (团) and dumplings (团).

兔

兎

tù = tu + Ø4

variant of 兔[tu4]

兔 = 丶 + 免 : Tommy Turtle (tu) sold the rabbit (兔) a very tasty looking petal leaf (丶) in the space station's bathroom (Ø4), but before the rabbit eats the leaf Tommy Turtle hands him a disclaimer (免) about possible side effects.

脱

脫

tuo̅ = tu + o1

to shed / to take off / to escape / to get away from

脱 = 兑 + 月 : The moon (月) just had lots of cash exchanged at an exchange booth (兑) in front of the observatory (o1). Shortly afterwards the cashier finds that the moon's money is fake and grabs him to hold him up, but suddenly Tommy Turtle sheds off (脱) his moon suit and is able to escape (脱)

涂

塗

tú = tu + Ø2

to apply (paint etc) / to smear / to daub / to blot out / to scribble / to scrawl / (literary) mud / street

涂 = 余 + 氵 : Someone smeared (涂) a graffiti on Tommy Turtle's (tu) sedan chair (余) just inside the space station's entrance (Ø2). Tommy Turtle tries to clean it using a bottle of water (氵).

统

統

tǒng = tu + (e)ng3

to gather / to unite / to unify / whole

统 = 充 + 纟 : The president (统) wants to unite (统) the country, so he sets up free mobile phone chargers (充) for everyone inside of the engine ((e)ng3). As soon as he plugged in the first few chargers there are already a silk worm (纟) and Tommy Turtle (tu) peacefully sitting next to each other to charge their phones.

铜

銅

tóng = tu + (e)ng2

copper (chemistry) / see also 紅銅|红铜[hong2 tong2] / CL:塊|块[kuai4]

铜 = 同 + 钅 : Tommy Turtle (tu) runs a copper (铜) mine in the engine's kitchen ((e)ng2). He managed to force two twins (同) to work for him and mine the copper using golden harpoons (钅).

托

託

tuo̅ = tu + o1

to trust / to entrust / to be entrusted with / to act as trustee

托 = 乇 + 扌 : Tommy Turtle has been entrusted with caring for a blade of grass. In front of the observatory he's very careful that nothing comes into contact with the blade and so holds it up using a toy claw.

呑

tu̅n = tu + (e)n1

variant of 吞[tun1]

陀

tuó = tu + o2

(phonetic) / declivity / steep bank

桐

tóng = tu + (e)ng2

tree name (variously Paulownia, Firmiana or Aleurites)

酮

tóng = tu + (e)ng2

ketone