Pinyin initial: "mi"

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

Mnemonics for mi

Mi is for Marilyn Monroe.

Characters with mi

灭
滅
miè = mi + e4
to extinguish or put out / to go out (of a fire etc) / to exterminate or wipe out / to drown
灭 = 一 + 火 : In the elevator's bathroom (e4) Marilyn Monroe (mi) was playing the flute (一) so hot that it is on fire (火) now! Luckily there's a fire extinguisher so that she can put it out (灭).
庙
廟
miào = mi + ao4
temple / ancestral shrine / CL:座[zuo4] / temple fair / great imperial hall / imperial
庙 = 广 + 由 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) is about to skydive. With her parachute (广) already on her back she visits the shrine (庙) in the aorta's bathroom (ao4) and donates a Cubra Libre (由) to put the god of skydiving in a good mood.
铭
銘
míng = mi + (e)ng2
to engrave / inscribed motto
铭 = 名 + 钅 : Before she visits engine, in the kitchen ((e)ng2) Marilyn Monroe (mi) engraves (铭) her epitaph (铭) on her name badge (名) using a golden harpoon (钅) just in case anything happens.
鸣
鳴
míng = mi + (e)ng2
to cry (of birds, animals and insects) / to make a sound / to voice (one's gratitude, grievance etc)
鸣 = 口 + 鸟 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) took away the turkey's (鸟) mandarin (口) in the engine's kitchen ((e)ng2) and now the turkey is crying (鸣).
民
mín = mi + (e)n2
(bound form) the people / inhabitants of a country
"We, the people" is the beginning of the United States Constitution. Let it serve as a mnemonic symbol for 民.
Marilyn Monroe proposes a new constitution to the people. She chose to post it on the doors of the entrance to the encampment.
眠
mián = mi + an2
to sleep / to hibernate
眠 = 民 + 目 : The eye of providence (目) is going to sleep (眠) in the anthill's kitchen (an2). Marilyn Monroe (mi) tucks it into a copy of the declaration of independence (民).
命
mìng = mi + (e)ng4
life / fate / order or command / to assign a name, title etc
命 = 亼 + 叩 : In engine's bathroom, Marilyn Monroe kow tows before a pointed hat. She thinks that this is her fate.
宓
mì = mi + Ø4
still / silent
宓 = 宀 + 必 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) and Khubilai Khan (必) finally got their degrees. With their graduation caps (宀) on they share a very silent (宓) and intimate moment hugging each other in the space station's bathroom (Ø4).
密
mì = mi + Ø4
secret / confidential / close / thick / dense
密 = 宀 + 必 + 山 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) is secretly (密) making out with her secretary (密) Khubilai Khan (必). Because it has to be a secret (密), they meet in the space station's bathroom (Ø4) and hide under a huge graduation cap (宀). Just to be sure Khubilai Khan has two forks (山) in his hands to attack anyone who might enter and see them.
蜜
mì = mi + Ø4
honey
蜜 = 宓 + 虫 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) is inattentive for only a few seconds, but during these seconds the mosquito (虫) already took the chance to suck on her honey pot (蜜) very silently (宓) in the space station's bathroom (Ø4).
棉
mián = mi + an2
generic term for cotton or kapok / cotton / padded or quilted with cotton
棉 = 帛 + 木 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) found new silken panties (帛) for her under the Christmas tree (木) in the anthill's kitchen (an2)! The panties are nicely packed in a box full of cotton (棉).
绵
綿
mián = mi + an2
silk floss / continuous / soft / weak / mild-mannered (dialect)
绵
緜
mián = mi + an2
old variant of 綿|绵[mian2] / cotton
黾
黽
mǐn = mi + (e)n3
to strive
黾 = 口 + 电 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) wants to charge (电) her phone in the encampment ((e)n3), but she finds that the charger (电) is already occupied by a toad (黾) which charges its mandarin (口). (Can you see the mandarin connected to the charger in the character 黾?)
蔑
衊
miè = mi + e4
defiled with blood
蔑 = 戍 + 罒 + 艹 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) was supposed to hide her garrison (蔑) in the elevator's bathroom (e4) under camouflage, but she only used a fishing net (罒) and sheets of artificial lawn (艹). Slander (蔑) man belittles (蔑) her for this poor attempt.
蔑
miè = mi + e4
to belittle / nothing
蔑 = 戍 + 罒 + 艹 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) was supposed to hide her garrison (蔑) in the elevator's bathroom (e4) under camouflage, but she only used a fishing net (罒) and sheets of artificial lawn (艹). Slander (蔑) man belittles (蔑) her for this poor attempt.
谬
謬
miù = mi + ou4
to deceive / to confuse / to cheat / absurd / erroneous
谬 = 翏 + 讠 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) ordered the Icarus' wings (翏) she saw on an advertising column (讠) in the outhouse's bathroom (ou4). As she puts the wings on and jumps from the advertising column she falls straight on the ground, only then realizing that she has been deceived (谬).
眇
miǎo = mi + ao3
blind in one eye / blind / tiny / humble / to stare
眇 = 少 + 目 : Marilyn Monroe (mi), Smiley (少) and the Eye of Providence (目) are meeting in the aorta (ao3) for their meeting of the anonymous blind (眇) because they're all blind in one eye (眇). While Marilyn and Smiley are still able to gaze off into the distance (眇) with their other eye the Eye of Providence is completely blind (眇).
渺
miǎo = mi + ao3
(of an expanse of water) vast / distant and indistinct / tiny or insignificant
渺 = 氵 + 眇 : Marilyn Monroe (mi) wants to know if there is water left in the water bottle (氵) she found in the aorta (ao3), so she looks inside by holding the water bottle over her eye. An tiny or insignificant (渺) amount of liquid drops right into her eye, and it is enough to make her blind in one eye (眇).
烕
miè = mi + e4
old variant of 滅|灭[mie4]