How to Write 钍 (tǔ) — Meaning “Thorium”

Think of "thorium" as a "metal from the earth" — the right side 土 (earth) reminds you that thorium is found in soil and rocks. You can imagine a metal bar (钅) buried in the ground (土) to link the shape to its meaning.

Write the left radical 钅 first (3 strokes: a slight left-falling stroke, two horizontals, and a vertical hook), then the right part 土 (3 strokes: horizontal, vertical, horizontal). A common mistake is making the right side too small or forgetting the hook at the bottom of 钅; keep both sides balanced, with the left narrower and the right slightly wider.

All three share the metal radical 钅, but their right sides differ: 钍 has 土 (earth), 钆 has a simple hooked stroke (乚-like shape, representing gadolinium), and 钇 has 乙 (second, representing yttrium). In meaning, 钍 is thorium, while 钆 is gadolinium and 钇 is yttrium — all are chemical elements used in science and industry.

钍 appears mainly in scientific and industrial texts, such as discussions about nuclear energy (thorium is a potential fuel) or rare earth mining. It is not a common character in daily life, so learners will mostly encounter it in chemistry or physics contexts. The word 钍元素 (thorium element) is used in periodic table references.

Common words containing 钍 include: 钍元素 (tǔ yuán sù) — Thorium element; 钍矿 (tǔ kuàng) — Thorium ore; 金属钍 (jīn shǔ tǔ) — Thorium metal.