How to Write 投 (tóu) — Meaning “to throw; to cast; to send”

Imagine your hand (扌) picking up a spear (殳) and throwing it forward. The right part 殳 looks like a person holding a weapon, so picture yourself "throwing" that weapon. This visual helps connect the shape to the meaning "to throw."

Pay attention to the right part 殳: it has a horizontal fold hook after the first two strokes, and then a left-falling stroke and a right-falling stroke (捺). The left radical 扌 should be narrow and slightly higher, while the right side is wider and balanced. A common mistake is making the hook too small or forgetting the final 捺.

投 (to throw) uses 殳 on the right, while 扑 (pū, to pounce or pat) uses 卜. 投 focuses on throwing or casting something, whereas 扑 means to rush at or beat. 㧜 is a very rare character with a different right part and is not used in modern Chinese, so you will almost never need it.

投 appears in important words like 投资 (tóu zī, to invest), 投诉 (tóu sù, to complain), and 投票 (tóu piào, to vote). 投票 is especially common during elections or group decisions, and 投诉 is used when making official complaints to companies or government. Knowing these words will help you in business, daily life, and news contexts.

Common words containing 投 include: 投资 (tóu zī) — to invest; investment; 投诉 (tóu sù) — to complain; to file a complaint; 投票 (tóu piào) — to vote; to cast a ballot.