投 meaning in English
to throw (sth in a specific direction: ball, javelin, grenade etc); to cast (a ballot)
Meaning of 投
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to throw (sth in a specific direction: ball, javelin, grenade etc)
- to cast (a ballot)
- to cast (a glance, a shadow etc)
- to put in (money for investment, a coin to operate a slot machine)
- to send (a letter, a manuscript etc)
- to throw oneself into (a river, a well etc to commit suicide)
- to go to; to seek refuge; to place oneself into the hands of
- (coll.) to rinse (clothes) in water
How to use 投
投 means to throw, but it also extends to putting something into a place, like money, a coin, a vote, or a letter. You will see it most in compounds such as 投资 (tóuzī, invest), 投票 (tóupiào, vote) and 投诉 (tóusù, complain). Example: 他把球投进了篮筐。(Tā bǎ qiú tóu jìn le lánkuāng.) He threw the ball into the basket.
投 has the hand radical 扌 on the left and 殳 (shū) on the right, which shows a hand holding a weapon or stick. Picture a hand pulling back to throw something forward, and you have 投 (tóu), to throw.
Common mistake: Learners often confuse 投 with 没 (méi) or 设 (shè), which share the right side 殳 but have the water radical 氵 or the speech radical 讠 instead of the hand 扌. Also remember 投 is second tone, tóu, not tòu like 透 (to pass through).
投 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
投 tóu · to throw · 7 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 投.
| 投资 | tóuzī | investment; to invest |
| 投入 | tóurù | to throw into; to put into |
| 投诉 | tóusù | to lodge a complaint |
| 投票 | tóupiào | to vote; to cast a vote |
| 投降 | tóuxiáng | to surrender |
| 走投无路 | zǒutóu-wúlù | to be at an impasse (idiom); in a tight spot |
| 投机 | tóujī | congenial; agreeable; to speculate; to profiteer |
| 投射 | tóushè | to throw (a projectile); to cast (light) |
| 投身 | tóushēn | to throw oneself into sth |
| 投奔 | tóubèn | to seek shelter; to seek asylum |
| 投稿 | tóugǎo | to submit articles for publication; to contribute (writing) |
| 投手 | tóushǒu | thrower; pitcher |
Questions about 投
What does 投 mean?
投 (tóu) means "to throw (sth in a specific direction: ball, javelin, grenade etc); to cast (a ballot)" and is used as a verb.
How do you write 投?
投 is made of 1 character: 投 (7 strokes). That is 7 strokes in total.
Is 投 an HSK word?
Yes. 投 is on the HSK 4 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 投 and 扔?
扔 (rēng) is the everyday word for tossing or throwing something away, like trash. 投 suggests throwing with aim toward a target, as in sports, and is also used for abstract actions like voting or investing.
What does 走投无路 mean?
走投无路 (zǒutóu-wúlù) literally means having nowhere to go and no one to turn to. It describes being in a hopeless situation, using the sense of 投 as going to someone for refuge.