noun #8,835

Meanings

  1. 1 disciple; apprentice; follower
  2. 2 on foot
  3. 3 in vain; for nothing

Examples

Tā shì yī míng jīdūtú.
He is a Christian.
Shīfu dài le hěnduō túdì.
The master has taken on many apprentices.
Búyào túláowúgōng.
Don't work in vain.

Tips

usage
is in 徒弟 (túdì, apprentice), 信徒 (xìntú, believer), 匪徒 (fěitú, bandit), 徒步 (túbù, on foot), 徒劳 (túláo, futile).

Components

radical
chì
step; left-step (radical)
Left step radical — a small footstep, the left half of (walking road). The indexing radical, anchoring in the on-foot family alongside (walk), (go toward), (wait), (subtle stepping). Originally meant 'to go on foot' (as opposed to riding a chariot); from there grew 'follower, disciple, in vain'.
semantic
zǒu
to walk; run
Right — a running figure with a foot below, meaning 'to walk, run'. In it doubles down on the foot imagery: step radical plus walking figure equals 'going entirely by foot'. The original sense, preserved in 徒步 (on foot, by trekking). The 'apprentice, disciple' sense (徒弟) grew from journeymen who travelled with their teacher.

Stroke Order