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Kotomora

塔

pagoda, tower, steeple

JLPTN2StatusJōyō · secondary schoolFrequencyTop 2,000Strokes12

Readings

On'yomi

  • トウ

Kun'yomi

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Meaning

塔 centers on a tall, multi-tiered structure: a pagoda, tower, or steeple. These all share the idea of a vertical, often religious or monumental building.

Most common words using 塔

20 of 75
  • 塔とう
    N3

    tower; steeple; spire

  • 砲塔ほうとう

    gun turret

  • エッフェル塔エッフェルとう

    Eiffel Tower

  • 広告塔こうこくとう

    billboard; advertising tower

  • 鉄塔てっとう

    steel tower

  • 司令塔しれいとう

    control tower; conning tower

  • 金字塔きんじとう

    pyramid

  • 管制塔かんせいとう

    control tower

  • 尖塔せんとう

    spire; steeple; pinnacle; minaret

  • バベルの塔バベルのとう

    Tower of Babel

  • テレビ塔テレビとう

    TV tower

  • 五重の塔ごじゅうのとう

    five-storied pagoda

  • 巨塔きょとう

    tall tower; large tower

  • 塔子ターツ

    chow missing one tile

  • 石塔せきとう

    stone tower; stone pagoda

  • 仏塔ぶっとう

    stupa; pagoda

  • 塔頭たっちゅう

    small Zen temple built to commemorate the death of a high priest

  • 卒塔婆そとば

    stupa; dagoba

  • 宝塔ほうとう

    two-storied Buddhist tower

  • 塔婆とうば

    stupa; pagoda

Explore all words using 塔 →

Study

Etymology

塔 combines 土 (earth, ground) with 荅, which likely contributes the sound. The character originally referred to a Buddhist pagoda or stupa, a tall earthen structure.

Meaning mnemonic

The left side 土 is earth or ground, and the right side 荅 looks like a plant growing upward with a roof on top. Picture a tall earthen tower rising from the ground like a plant, with a pointed roof like a pagoda.

Reading mnemonic

For トウ, imagine a tall tower casting a long shadow at two o'clock: two -> トウ, and the tower stands tall on the earth.