About
The character 沱 is a phono-semantic compound linked to water. Its left component, the water radical 氵, indicates a semantic connection to rivers or streams. The right component, 它, provides the phonetic element for the pronunciation "tuo". The primary meaning is a river branch, a stream diverging from a main waterway, and it often appears in geographical names. When doubled as 沱沱 (tuotuo), it vividly describes tears flowing abundantly or heavy rain pouring down. This usage remains strictly within fluid, aquatic contexts.
Etymology Hide
