The kanji 塗 primarily conveys the meaning of "to paint," "to coat," or "to smear" something with a substance. This substance could be paint, a cream, a sauce, or anything that covers a surface. It implies the action of applying a substance to a surface to change its appearance, protect it, or add a layer. The core concept revolves around the application and spreading of a coating.

・On-yomi (音読み): 　　・ト (to) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): 　　・塗る (ぬる - nuru)

⚫︎ ペンキを塗る。 Translation: To paint with paint. ⚫︎ 壁にペンキを塗る。 Translation: To paint the wall. ⚫︎ クリームを顔に塗る。 Translation: To apply cream to the face.

The kanji 塗 is a phono-semantic compound (形声文字). The left side is a radical (偏, hen) called "氵" (sanzui), meaning "water". The right side is "余" (yo) which originally meant "excess" or "remainder". The combination suggests that it is related to liquids or semi-liquids. Originally, this character depicted the action of applying a liquid or paste onto something, hence the core meaning of “to paint” or “to coat.” The radical "氵" (water) gives clues on the nature of coating substances, such as paint or cream.