图

• Pinyin: tú
• Hanzi breakdown: 图 = 囗 (enclosure) + simplified interior, originally depicted a territorial map within borders

Meaning

Picture; map; diagram. A general term for any visual representation or illustration.

Versatile noun that can refer to maps (地图), pictures (图片), charts (图表), or diagrams. Also used as a verb meaning 'to seek' or 'to plan' in formal or literary contexts, as in 图谋 (to plot).

Examples

1. 老师在黑板上画了一张图。 The teacher drew a diagram on the blackboard.
2. 你能看懂这张地图吗？ Can you understand this map?
3. 这本书里有很多漂亮的图。 This book has many beautiful illustrations.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, academic

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请看这张图。(Please look at this picture/diagram.)
• 我需要一张中国地图。(I need a map of China.)

Don't Say

• 我拍了一张图。(For photos, use 照片 rather than 图. 图 refers to drawn or printed images, not photographs.)

Origin & History

Originally a pictograph depicting a map or plan drawn on cloth. The simplified character 图 is derived from the traditional 圖.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal