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沱 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
沱tuóriver, stream, waterway; to flowns, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #43068, Very Hard
沱tuótearfulunknown, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #43068, Very Hard
沱tuóto branch (of river)unknown, 8 strokes, radical 氵, rank #43068, Very Hard
tuó(tuo2) T2
  1. 1river, stream, waterway; to flow
  2. 2tearful
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

沱tuó(tuo2)

The character 沱 (tuó) primarily refers to a river, stream, or waterway, indicating a natural flow of water. It can also describe the act of flowing or branching, especially in the context of water. In certain contexts, it can convey an emotional nuance, suggesting tearfulness or being moved to tears.

Strokes8Radical氵Frequency#43068DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, rivers hold significant importance in philosophy and daily life, often symbolizing the flow of life and emotions. The character 沱 reflects this cultural reverence for water, which is essential for sustenance and has historical significance in ancient Chinese civilization.

Memory Tip

Imagine a river (represented by the water radical 水) that flows and branches out like tears streaming down one's face. The character looks like a flowing stream with gentle curves, reminiscent of water's movement, and pronounce it as 'tuó', like 'tore' (tears).

Meanings of 沱

tuó(tuo2)
1river, stream, waterway; to flow
2tearful
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 沱

沱Simplified
8Strokes
氵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 沱

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Podcast: 沱

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AI Study Notes for 沱

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 沱 with similar-sounding characters, as it is less common in everyday speech. It may appear in formal contexts or geographical names, so be mindful of its usage. Common collocations include 沱河 (tuó hé, 'Tuó River') and related terms in environmental discussions.

HSK Study Tips

While 沱 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, understanding it can help learners with geographical terms and enhance their reading comprehension. Students should focus on recognizing its components and relating it to other water-related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 沱 with other water-related characters such as 河 (hé, river) or 流 (liú, flow). For example, saying 沱河 instead of the correct 河流 can lead to misunderstandings. Always check the context to ensure proper usage.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 沱

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Etymology of 沱

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Memory Hint

water

Semantic (meaning)氵
+
Phonetic (sound)它
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 沱

  1. 1The meaning half氵 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half它 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaywater
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 沱? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 沱?

Decomposition of 沱

IDS Structure⿰氵它
沱Full Character
=
氵shui3
left
它ta1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 沱?

How to say river, stream, waterway; to flow in Chinese

“river, stream, waterway; to flow” in Chinese is沱tuó

The character 沱 (tuó) primarily refers to a river, stream, or waterway, indicating a natural flow of water. It can also describe the act of flowing or branching, especially in the context of water. In certain contexts, it can convey an emotional nuance, suggesting tearfulness or being moved to tears.

When to use 沱

Be careful not to confuse 沱 with similar-sounding characters, as it is less common in everyday speech. It may appear in formal contexts or geographical names, so be mindful of its usage. Common collocations include 沱河 (tuó hé, 'Tuó River') and related terms in environmental discussions.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 沱 with other water-related characters such as 河 (hé, river) or 流 (liú, flow). For example, saying 沱河 instead of the correct 河流 can lead to misunderstandings. Always check the context to ensure proper usage.

Write 沱

沱

Practice writing 沱 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 沱

Words Containing This Character5
沱tuótearful
滂沱pouring
滂沱大雨torrents of rain (idiom)
沱茶caked tea
涕泗滂沱a flood of tears and mucus
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 沱 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 沱

It primarily means river or stream but can also imply emotional states like tearfulness.

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