Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (氵) occupies about one-third of the width, while the right component (余) claims the remaining two-thirds. Ensure the right side's horizontal strokes are well-spaced and balanced.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 塗 uses 𠂤 over 木 under ⺡, which was streamlined into 余 on the right side for efficiency.
1. Meaning
to smear, apply, or daub (paint, mud, etc.)
to scribble or scrawlto blot out or erase(literary) mud or mire(literary) street or path
Verb / NounNeutral#action#art#writing#texture
Sample Usage
涂鸦
tú yā
graffiti / scribble
涂改液
tú gǎi yè
correction fluid / white-out
2. Sound
/[tʰu³⁵]/Tone: 35
塗
tútu2
|
++
´(35)
=tú
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
tu
Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "u" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).
Initial Consonant
t
Type: Aspirated Alveolar
Sounds like: t sound
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Explosive puff of breath! Tissue held before mouth MUST flutter.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge behind upper front teeth with forceful air release.
Final Rhyme
u
Vowel Group: -u vowel group
Sounds like: oo sound as in 'too'
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'oo'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T2 (35)
3 → 5 (35)
2nd Tone (Mid-Rising)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 2 rises like a questioning English sentence (e.g., 'Huh?'), starting in the middle pitch and climbing to the top.
Sandhi: When followed by another Tone 2, it shifts slightly, though standard Tone 2 rules apply normally in continuous speech.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the rising Tone 2 (tú) with Tone 4 (tù), which drops sharply. Ensure the pitch ends higher than it starts.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A quick upward head nod or drawing a rising diagonal line from bottom-left to top-right in the air.
3. Writing
Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 10 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (氵) occupies about one-third of the width, while the right component (余) claims the remaining two-thirds. Ensure the right side's horizontal strokes are well-spaced and balanced.
Simplification Logic: The traditional form 塗 uses 𠂤 over 木 under ⺡, which was streamlined into 余 on the right side for efficiency.
4. Components
Radical氵 · Water Radical (water, liquids)
Semantic Clue (形旁):氵 (indicates liquids, mud, or wet substances involved in smearing)
Phonetic Clue (声旁):余 (original sound: yú / tú phonetic match)
Water (氵) plus surplus/remainder (余) combines to form the concept of wet mud or smearing liquid over a surface.
氵 water / liquid element
余 phonetic and structural component meaning surplus
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
13· Phonetic Root: 余 (yú)
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)
Origin: Originally combined the water sign (氵) with a phonetic element (余) to represent mud, mire, and wet spreading actions.
Semantic Evolution: Extended from literal wet mud and swampy roads to the general action of applying paint, smearing substances, and eventually scribbling on paper.
In classical texts, 涂 often referred to roads or muddy paths, which explains terms like 坦途 (smooth road).
6. Sinosphere
🇻🇳
Sino-Vietnamese
đồ
Mandarin rising tone 2 corresponds to Vietnamese hỏi or huyền depending on historical derivations, here matching đồ.
🇯🇵
Kanji (Japanese)
On: ト (to) / Kun: ぬる (nuru)
🇰🇷
Hanja (Korean)
도
Sound Shift Bridge: The initial 't' and vowel 'u' remain remarkably stable across historical sound shifts connecting to similar concepts in neighboring languages.
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story
You spill **water** (氵) mixed with **surplus** (余) paint all over the floor, and now you have to **smear** and **scrub** it away!