途

tú
noun #10,885

Meanings

  1. 1 way
  2. 2 route
  3. 3 journey

Examples

HSK 3
Wǒmen zài túzhōng huàn le yī cì chē.
We changed trains once on the way.
HSK 5
Tā de qiántú yípiàn guāngmíng.
He has a bright future ahead of him.
HSK 6
Màncháng de lǚtú zhōng wǒ dú le yī běn shū.
I read a book during the long journey.

Tips

memory
辶 (walk) + 余 (surplus) - the road still ahead.

Components

radical
辶 chuò
walk; motion (radical form of 辵)
Wrap-under motion radical 辶 - the side-form of 辵, depicting a foot taking a step along a road. The indexing radical for 途, planting it firmly in the path/journey family with 道 (way), 路 (road), 进 (advance), 返 (return). A wayside hut you walk past becomes the route itself.
phonetic
余 yú
I; remaining (here phonetic)
Upper-right 余 supplies the sound - yú shifting to tú through a regular initial alternation. 余 originally pictured a thatched roof on stilts, a wayside hut. The same phonetic links 途 with 涂 (to smear; road), 徒 (on foot), 屠 (slaughter), so the whole family clusters around the tú sound.

Stroke Order

途 tú