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托 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
托tuōpropHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōsupport (for weight)HSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōrest (e.g. arm rest)HSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōthanks toHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto hold in one's handHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto support in one's palmHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto giveHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto baseHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto commitHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto setHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōTorr (unit of pressure)HSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto trustHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto entrustHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto be entrusted withHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto act as trusteeHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
托tuōto raise, to support; to entrust, to rely onHSK 7, v, 6 strokes, radical 扌, rank #2375, Very Hard
tuō(tuo1)tuo T1
  1. 1prop
  2. 2support (for weight)
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March 24, 2026

托tuō(tuo1)

The character 托 (tuō) primarily means 'to support' or 'to prop up.' It is commonly used in both physical and metaphorical contexts, such as supporting a weight or relying on someone for help. The nuance often implies a sense of trust or reliance on another party, making it versatile in usage.

Strokes6Radical扌Frequency#2375DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

托 is often used in the context of Chinese business culture, where trust and reliance on partners or stakeholders are critical. For example, the phrase 托付 (tuōfù) means to entrust someone with a responsibility, reflecting the importance of building relationships.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong hand (the character 托 resembles a hand holding something) cradling a heavy object, like a large book. This image connects the idea of support and trust, as you would trust that hand to hold the book safely. The pronunciation 'tuō' sounds like 'toss,' which can remind you of tossing something into your hands for support.

Meanings of 托

tuō(tuo1)
1prop
2support (for weight)
Exercise 1 of 2

By ear

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About 托

托Simplified
6Strokes
扌Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#2375Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1

Podcast: 托

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Podcast: 托

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AI Study Notes for 托

Quick Contrast

托 (tuō) vs 支 (zhī) — use 托 when emphasizing support or reliance, while 支 focuses on the act of supporting or holding something up.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 托 with similar verbs like 支 (zhī, to support) and 依 (yī, to depend on). 托 is more about physical support or trust in relationships. It’s generally used in both formal and informal contexts, so be mindful of the situation when choosing this verb.

HSK Study Tips

Although 托 is not included in the official HSK levels, understanding it can help learners grasp related verbs of support and trust at HSK levels 3 and 4. Focus on its usage in conjunction with other verbs to build nuanced sentences.

Common Mistakes

Learners often misuse 托 in contexts where a different verb would be more appropriate, such as using 托 instead of 支 (zhī) for non-physical support. For example, saying '我需要托这个项目' (I need to support this project) should be corrected to '我需要支撑这个项目'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 托

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Etymology of 托

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

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

Memory Hint

Using one's hands 扌 for support 乇; 乇 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 托?

Decomposition of 托

IDS Structure⿰扌乇
托Full Character
=
扌shou3
left
乇tuo1
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 托?

How to say prop in Chinese

“prop” in Chinese is托tuō

The character 托 (tuō) primarily means 'to support' or 'to prop up.' It is commonly used in both physical and metaphorical contexts, such as supporting a weight or relying on someone for help. The nuance often implies a sense of trust or reliance on another party, making it versatile in usage.

When to use 托

Learners often confuse 托 with similar verbs like 支 (zhī, to support) and 依 (yī, to depend on). 托 is more about physical support or trust in relationships. It’s generally used in both formal and informal contexts, so be mindful of the situation when choosing this verb.

托 or something close to it

托 (tuō) vs 支 (zhī) — use 托 when emphasizing support or reliance, while 支 focuses on the act of supporting or holding something up.

What learners get wrong

Learners often misuse 托 in contexts where a different verb would be more appropriate, such as using 托 instead of 支 (zhī) for non-physical support. For example, saying '我需要托这个项目' (I need to support this project) should be corrected to '我需要支撑这个项目'.

Write 托

托

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

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Grammar Patterns of 托

托 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 16 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

惠特比镇因为布拉姆·斯____克著名的吸血鬼故事而名传后世。

The town of whitby was immortalised in Bram Stoker's famous Dracula story.

Common Confusions with 托

托vs拖
tuō

Same pronunciation but different meanings and usages.

Exercise 1 of 1

Which one

Which one means “prop”?

or

Example Sentences for 托 (10)

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1
惠特比镇因为布拉姆·斯托克著名的吸血鬼故事而名传后世。

huì tè bǐ zhèn yīn wéi bù lā mǔ· · sī tuō kè zhù míng de xī xiě guǐ gù shì ér míng chuán hòu。

The town of whitby was immortalised in Bram Stoker's famous Dracula story.
2
老实讲，托马斯，你贷款的问题开始让我担心了。

lǎo shí jiǎng， ， tuō mǎ， sī ， nǐ dài kuǎn de wèn tí kāi shǐ ràng wǒ dān。

Frankly, Thomas, this question of your loan is beginning to worry me.
3
托尼微笑着举起杯子。“为你干一杯，埃米。”

tuō ní wēi xiào zháo jǔ qǐ bēi zǐ。“ 。“ wéi nǐ gān yī， bēi ，。”

Tony smiled and lifted his glass. "Here's to you, Amy."
4
你可以把行李直接托运到终点。

nǐ kě yǐ bǎ háng lǐ zhí jiē tuō yùn dào zhōng diǎn。

You can check your baggage right through to its final destination.
5
用贝壳来装点盒子、托盘、镜子甚至是花盆。

yòng bèi ké lái zhuāng diǎn hé zǐ、 、 tuō、 pán 、 jìng zǐ shèn zhì shì。

Use shells to decorate boxes, trays, mirrors or even pots.
6
蒙博托出身行伍，通过一级级晋升，最终成为了陆军司令。

mēng bó tuō chū shēn háng wǔ， ， tōng guò yī jí jí jìn， shēng ， zuì zhōng chéng wéi le lù jūn。

Mobutu ascended through the ranks, eventually becoming commander of the army.
7
他们办完行李托运，到候机室找了座位坐下。

tā mén bàn wán háng lǐ tuō yùn， ， dào hòu jī shì zhǎo le zuò wèi zuò。

They checked in their luggage and found seats in the departure lounge.
8
这支舞蹈的配乐是由亨利·托尔格所作的一首原创曲目。

zhè zhī wǔ dǎo de pèi lè shì yóu hēng lì· · tuō ěr gé suǒ zuò de yī shǒu yuán chuàng qū。

The dance is accompanied by an original score by Henry Torgue.
9
持枪歹徒坐上一辆由同伙驾驶的摩托车逃逸。

chí qiāng dǎi tú zuò shàng yī liàng yóu tóng huǒ jià shǐ de mó tuō chē táo yì。

The gunman escaped on a motorcycle being ridden by an accomplice.
10
有关在该托管机构管理的62.5万英亩土地上狩猎一事，最近一次辩论是两年前。

yǒu guān zài gāi tuō guǎn jī gòu guǎn lǐ de62.5 62.5 wàn yīng mǔ tǔ dì shàng shòu liè yī， shì ， zuì jìn yī cì biàn lùn shì liǎng。

Hunting on the trust's 625,000 acres was last debated two years ago.

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Word Family of 托

Words Containing This Character20
拜托bàituōplease!拜託
托tuōprop
委托wěituōto entrust委託
摩托车mótuōchēmotorbike摩托車
托管trusteeship
依托yītuōto rely on依託
信托to entrust信託
委托人(law) client
摩托mótuōmotorbike
摩托罗拉Motorola摩托羅拉
寄托jìtuōto entrust (to sb)寄託
托马斯Thomas (male name)托馬斯
衬托chèntuōto set off襯托
托付tuōfùto entrust
托运tuōyùnto consign (goods)托運
托儿所nursery托兒所
托盘tray托盤
受托to be entrusted受託
乌托邦utopia (loanword)烏托邦
阿托品atropine C17H23NO3, alkaloid drug derived from deadly nightshade (Atropa belladonna)
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 托

What does 拜托 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 托

In everyday conversation, 托 (tuō) can be used to express various types of support. For instance, you might hear someone say '我托付给你' (Wǒ tuōfù gěi nǐ), meaning 'I entrust this to you.' It can also describe physical support, such as '他用手托住了球' (Tā yòng shǒu tuō zhùle qiú), which means 'He held the ball in his hand.'

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