懂中文 Dong Chinese

徒

tú

disciple

Original meaning: 

go on foot

Phonosemantic compound. 辵 represents the meaning and 土 represents the sound. 土 also represents the meaning. Based on the original meaning "go on foot". The meaning later shifted to "disciple".

Components
辵 meaning component

辵  Meaning component

chuò

  

walk

土 sound,meaning component

土  Sound Meaning component

tǔ

  

earth

Evolution

徒 Oracle script (~1250-1000 BC)

Oracle script

(~1250-1000 BC)
徒 Bronze script Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)

Bronze script

Mid Western Zhou (~900 BC)
徒 Seal script Shuowen (~100 AD)

Seal script

Shuowen (~100 AD)
徒 Clerical script Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Clerical script

Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
徒 Regular script Modern

Regular script

Modern
Definitions

徒  

tú

disciple, follower; go on foot; disciple; apprentice; believer; on foot; bare or empty; to no avail; only; prison sentence

徒  

Tú

surname Tu

Most common words with 徒
Freq.
Word
Meaning

叛徒

traitor

歹徒

evildoer

徒

disciple

有期徒刑

limited term of imprisonment (i.e. anything less than life imprisonment)

信徒

believer