透 (tòu) — (verb) to penetrate; to seep through; to leak; (adjective/adverb) thoroughly; completely; (used as a complement after verbs to indicate a through or complete state)
Definition
Most often used as a verb-complement (湿透, 摸透) meaning 'all the way through / thoroughly', or as a verb meaning 'to seep through, to show through'. Don't confuse with 透露 (to leak information) or 透明 (transparent).
verb
to penetrateto seep throughto leak(adjective/adverb) thoroughlycompletely(used as a complement after verbs to indicate a through or complete state)
Examples
- 。Shuǐ cóng yī fu shàng tòu guò qù le.The water seeped through the clothing.
- 透。Zhè jiàn yī fu shī tòu le.This piece of clothing is soaked through.
- 透。Tā de liǎn shàng tòu chū le yì sī xiào róng.A trace of a smile appeared on his face.
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.
Meaning part形符xíngfú
辵辵chuòwalking
Sound part声符shēngfú
秀
秀xiù透tòu
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.
The shape 透 has 辵, a walking part, and 秀, which provides the sound.
Appears in
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