托 (tuō) — to support with the hand or palm; to hold up; to entrust; to ask (someone to do something); (noun) a support; a stand; a rest
Definition
托 covers two main meanings: physically holding something up in the palm (e.g. 托着脸), and entrusting someone with a task (托我). The noun sense is a stand or rest that props something up, related to 支柱 ('pillar/backbone') in meaning but more everyday.
verb
to support with the hand or palmto hold upto entrustto ask (someone to do something)
noun
a supporta standa rest
Measure word · 个
Examples
- 托，。Tā tuō zhe liǎn, kàn zhe chuāng wài.She cupped her face in her hands and looked out the window.
- 托。Tā tuō wǒ bǎ zhè fēng xìn jiāo gěi nǐ.He asked me to give this letter to you.
- 托。Zhè ge tuō shì yòng mù tou zuò de.This stand is made of wood.
Origin
Sound + meaning六书liùshū
形声xíngshēngMost characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.
Sound part声符shēngfú
乇
乇tuō托tuō
Same sound today
托 is built from 手 (hand) and 乇, which gives the sound tuō.
Appears in
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