Major System Word List
Every number 00 to 99. One vivid word. One matching emoji. All phonetically verified.
Study flashcards · Test yourself · How to memorise pi
Vowels, H, W and Y are always silent. The letter used in the word is shown in the sounds column Bomb uses B (not P), both are digit 9.
Pi's First 24 Digits as Pairs
Pi = 3.14159265358979323846264... Starting from the leading 3, split into two-digit pairs to look up three words per group. Each group of six digits = one numpad shape + one three-image scene.
| # | Pair | E | Word | Sounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 31 | 🧤 | Mitt | M + T |
| 2 | 41 | 🛣️ | Road | R + D |
| 3 | 59 | 💋 | Lip | L + P |
| 4 | 26 | 🌮 | Nacho | N + CH |
| 5 | 53 | 🍋 | Lime | L + M |
| 6 | 58 | 🍃 | Leaf | L + F |
| 7 | 97 | 📚 | Book | B + K |
| 8 | 93 | 💣 | Bomb | B + M |
| 9 | 23 | 🧙 | Gnome | N + M |
| 10 | 84 | 🧥 | Fur | F + R |
| 11 | 62 | ⛓️ | Chain | CH + N |
| 12 | 64 | 🌊 | Shore | SH + R |
Do not try to learn all 100 at once. Learn the 10s group by group, starting with the ones pi actually uses first: 31, 41, 59, 26, 53, 58, 97, 93. Eight pairs covers the first 16 decimal digits.
All 100 Words by Group
Using Your Own Words
These words are a verified starting point, not a mandate. Any word that correctly encodes its pair works just as well. The only rule: check the phonetics before committing.
- Write out every consonant in the word. Cross out any that are silent (trailing -MB, leading GN-, KN-, WR-). Cross out all vowels, H, W, Y.
- Map each remaining consonant to its digit: S/Z=0, T/D=1, N=2, M=3, R=4, L=5, J/SH/CH=6, K/G/C=7, F/V=8, P/B=9.
- The first two digits must match the pair you are encoding. Extra consonants beyond the first two do not matter.
- Concrete nouns first. A mat, a bomb, a nurse things you can see and touch. Abstract words like "notion" are harder to picture.
- Pick unusual images. Two entries with similar images will bleed into each other during recall. A gnome and a nurse are far more distinct than two animals.
- Personalise where you can. A word you already associate strongly with a number will always beat a generic list entry. Use these words as defaults until you find something better.
- Stay consistent. Once a word is locked in, do not change it. Even a suboptimal word is better than two competing options.
The Major System is a mnemonic technique dating to the 17th century. This verified 00-99 word list and the Major Pincode System were compiled by Christoffer De Geer.