涂抹

塗抹

túmǒ

verb #26,773

Meanings

1 to smear
2 to apply (makeup, cream, etc.)
3 to doodle
4 to scribble
5 to erase or obliterate

Characters

to smear; to coat; to spread

to wipe; to apply; to erase

Examples

她在脸上涂抹防晒霜。

Tā zài liǎn shang túmǒ fángsài shuāng.

She applied sunscreen to her face.

孩子在墙上乱涂抹，弄脏了整面墙。

Háizi zài qiáng shang luàn túmǒ, nòng zāng le zhěng miàn qiáng.

The child scribbled all over the wall, dirtying the whole surface.

Tips

usage

涂抹 can mean applying something (sunscreen, paint, butter) or doodling/scribbling. Context makes the meaning clear. For deliberate art, 绘画 or 涂色 are more appropriate.

Stroke Order

涂 tú

抹 mǒ