投 tóu to pitch
to pitch; to throw; to cast; to put in; to throw oneself into
How to remember 投: 扌 hand + 殳 strike = to pitch. The boy packs a snowball in his hand, ready to strike his big sister, and leans back to pitch.
Component breakdown
投 = 扌 hand + 殳 strike
- 扌 hand
- 殳 strike
The boy packs a snowball in his hand, ready to strike his big sister, and leans back to pitch.
How it is used
- Verb of directing something at a target: 投篮 tóulán "shoot a basketball," 投票 tóupiào "cast a vote."
- 投入 tóurù and 投资 tóuzī extend the sense to "put in effort/money" - 投资 is the standard word for a financial investment.
- Contrast with 扔 rēng "to toss/discard": 投 implies aiming at a goal or channel (a ballot box, a market), 扔 is just casual throwing away.
- 我投了他一票 (Wǒ tóule tā yì piào) - "I voted for him."
Words with 投
- 投入tóurùto throw intoHSK 5
- 投票tóupiàoto voteHSK 6
- 投诉tóusùto lodge a complaintHSK 6
- 投资tóuzīinvestmentHSK 6
- 投奔tóubènto seek shelterHSK 8
- 投射tóushèto throw (a projectile)HSK 8
- 投掷tóuzhìto throw something a long distanceHSK 8
- 投放tóufàngto inputHSK 8
- 投机tóujīcongenialHSK 8
- 投稿tóugǎoto submit articles for publicationHSK 8
- 投身tóushēnto throw oneself into somethingHSK 8
- 投降tóuxiángto surrenderHSK 8
- 走投无路zǒutóu-wúlùto be at an impasse (idiom)HSK 9
Example sentences
- 他投资失败了。 Tā tóuzī shībài le.His investment was a failure.