托

託
tuō
乇 + 扌
HSK 3.0Level 7

Definitions

tuō (verb) to support; to prop up
tuō (verb) to hold in one's hand; to carry
tuō (verb) to entrust; to rely on
tuō (particle) thanks to

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 扌 represents the meaning and 乇 represents the sound.

About

托 is a phono-semantic compound combining the hand radical 扌, which signals manual action, with the phonetic component 乇. Its original meaning was physically supporting something from below with the palm of the hand, a sense still common today for carrying trays or bearing weight. This physical act of holding up a burden later developed a metaphorical dimension, giving the character the abstract meanings of entrusting a task, relying on others, or committing something to another's care.

Example Sentences Hide

我托他买一本书。

Wǒ tuō tā mǎi yī běn shū.

I asked him to buy a book.

请你托住这个盘子。

Qǐng nǐ tuō zhù zhè ge pánzi.

Please hold this plate.

她托朋友照顾她的猫。

Tā tuō péngyou zhàogù tā de māo.

She asked her friend to take care of her cat.

爸爸把重要文件托付给律师。

Bàba bǎ zhòngyào wénjiàn tuōfù gěi lǜshī.

Dad entrusted the important documents to the lawyer.

在托儿所里，孩子们玩得很开心。

Zài tuō'érsuǒ lǐ, háizimen wán de hěn kāixīn.

In the nursery, the children are playing very happily.

他用托盘端来了咖啡和蛋糕。

Tā yòng tuōpán duān lái le kāfēi hé dàngāo.

He brought coffee and cake on a tray.

由于时间紧迫，我们必须托运行李。

Yóuyú shíjiān jǐnpò, wǒmen bìxū tuōyùn xínglǐ.

Due to time constraints, we must check in our luggage.

政府托管的资金必须用于公共福利。

Zhèngfǔ tuōguǎn de zījīn bìxū yòng yú gōnggòng fúlì.

The funds held in trust by the government must be used for public welfare.

Related Characters

Component: 乇

宅 吒 亳 託 讬 飥 圫 奼 饦 馲 魠

Component: 扌

把 提 打 报 接 指 据 拉 持 技 找 推 投 护

Example Words

寄托 拜托 摩托 摩托车 衬托 交托 依托 信托 克里斯托弗 嘱托 委托 托付 托儿 托儿所 托尔斯泰 托盘 托福 托管 托运 托马斯 推托 摩托罗拉 乌托邦 烘托