徒
tú
(bound form) disciple; apprentice; believer; (derog.) wrongdoer (as in 騙徒|骗徒[pian4 tu2] "swindler" or 叛徒[pan4 tu2] "traitor" etc)
surname Tu; (bound form) on foot; (bound form) bare; empty; (bound form) to no avail; in vain; (bound form) merely; just; only; (bound form) prison sentence
step (彳) + walk (走) = one who travels on foot
Both components evoke movement on foot, painting a picture of someone who walks — a follower, an apprentice, or simply a person going somewhere without rank or vehicle. From this rootless wanderer came the extended senses of emptiness, futility, and bare membership in a group.
他是老师最得意的徒弟，学得很快。
tā shì lǎo shī zuì dé yì de tú dì ， xué de hěn kuài 。
He is the teacher's most proud disciple and learns very quickly.
这些努力徒劳无功，什么结果也没有。
zhè xiē nǔ lì tú láo wú gōng ， shén me jié guǒ yě méi yǒu 。
All this effort was in vain and yielded no result whatsoever.
Words with 徒
徒手
tú shǒu
with bare hands
徒手画
tú shǒu huà
freehand drawing
徒拥虚名
tú yōng xū míng
to possess an undeserved reputation (idiom)
道教徒
dào jiào tú
a Daoist
酒徒
jiǔ tú
drunkard
酒色之徒
jiǔ sè zhī tú
follower of wine and women
门徒
mén tú
disciple
饕餮之徒
tāo tiè zhī tú
glutton
马齿徒增
mǎ chǐ tú zēng
(self-deprecating) to have grown old without accomplishing anything (idiom)
骗徒
piàn tú
cheat
高徒
gāo tú
brilliant student
党徒
dǎng tú
clique member