The verb "to shower" was really tough for me. It is 洗澡 or "Xǐzǎo" It is pronounced like "she-zow!" It follows the silly rule of two third tones in a row sounding like 2nd tone and then 3rd tone.
Anyway, this is silly, but I am a dude. A guy. If I look at someone in the shower it is going to be a "she". But at the same time I know I shouldn't be looking, so I'll be turning around as quickly as I looked and yelling the interjection "Zowie!" like from Scooby Doo, only I just use the short interjection of "Zow!"
The result is that when I think of SHOWER, I think of "She-Zow!", a "she" and a "Zow" from Shaggy in Scooby Doo saying "Zowie". Remember though, 2nd tone-3rd tone. I like to think of me seeing the girl in the shower for the first time and being a young adolescent and a super nerd to boot, so I sound like Shaggy and of course my voice breaks from the excitement of the situation, hence the third tones smile emoticon
Also if you look at the characters for 洗澡 you will see there is clearly some water spraying from the left side of the characters. The first character looks like a girl in the shower (with some admittedly wide hips, ha ha ha) holding up her right hand to block the water, which is why the water is splashing off her at an angle.
The 2nd character looks like a man's head (see his square hat, eyes and crazy mustache? Clearly a peeping Tom.
This is super, super silly and totally over the top, but I will never, ever forget the word OR the characters for Xǐ and Zǎo. I even blew up the image and added a shower for you to envision this in PC Paint. I hope you like it. What is harder, remembering this stupid, stupid story, or trying to memorize two RANDOM SOUNDS and characters forever? I think the story is easier. Another story for you tomorrow. Remember Shower and To Jog for today, ok? No reason to ever forget them.
Anyway, this is silly, but I am a dude. A guy. If I look at someone in the shower it is going to be a "she". But at the same time I know I shouldn't be looking, so I'll be turning around as quickly as I looked and yelling the interjection "Zowie!" like from Scooby Doo, only I just use the short interjection of "Zow!"
The result is that when I think of SHOWER, I think of "She-Zow!", a "she" and a "Zow" from Shaggy in Scooby Doo saying "Zowie". Remember though, 2nd tone-3rd tone. I like to think of me seeing the girl in the shower for the first time and being a young adolescent and a super nerd to boot, so I sound like Shaggy and of course my voice breaks from the excitement of the situation, hence the third tones smile emoticon
Also if you look at the characters for 洗澡 you will see there is clearly some water spraying from the left side of the characters. The first character looks like a girl in the shower (with some admittedly wide hips, ha ha ha) holding up her right hand to block the water, which is why the water is splashing off her at an angle.
The 2nd character looks like a man's head (see his square hat, eyes and crazy mustache? Clearly a peeping Tom.
This is super, super silly and totally over the top, but I will never, ever forget the word OR the characters for Xǐ and Zǎo. I even blew up the image and added a shower for you to envision this in PC Paint. I hope you like it. What is harder, remembering this stupid, stupid story, or trying to memorize two RANDOM SOUNDS and characters forever? I think the story is easier. Another story for you tomorrow. Remember Shower and To Jog for today, ok? No reason to ever forget them.