How to Write 桐 (tóng) — Meaning “Tong tree / Paulownia”

Picture a 'tong' tree (桐) that looks the 'same' (同) as a regular tree (木) from a distance. The 'same' part reminds you of its pinyin 'tóng' and the tree radical shows what it is.

The left radical 木 must be written with a shorter fourth stroke (dot) to leave space for the right side. The right part 同 has a tall vertical stroke on the left; do not make the left side too wide or the character will be unbalanced.

桐 uses 同 (tóng) as its phonetic part and means a specific tree (paulownia or parasol tree). 杪 has 少 (few) and means a tree branch's tip or end. 杭 has 亢 (kàng) and refers to a place name or to cross by boat. Their pronunciations and meanings are different.

桐 appears in names of trees like 梧桐 (Chinese parasol tree) and 油桐 (tung tree), which are important for wood and oil. In Chinese culture, 梧桐 is often associated with elegance and is mentioned in poetry as a symbol of autumn and solitude.

Common words containing 桐 include: 梧桐 (wú tóng) — Chinese parasol tree; 油桐 (yóu tóng) — Tung tree; 泡桐 (pāo tóng) — Paulownia tree..