paint, plaster, daub, smear, coating
塗 centers on applying a substance to cover a surface: painting, plastering, daubing, smearing, or coating. The meanings all share the idea of spreading something over an area.
塗 combines 涂 (which historically relates to a path or waterway) with 土 (earth), suggesting the act of applying mud or plaster to a surface. The modern meaning extends to painting and coating.
The top 涂 looks like a brush or tool spreading something, and the bottom 土 is earth or clay. Imagine using a brush to spread wet clay over a wall: that's painting or plastering.
For ト, picture a toe (ト) dipped in paint, smearing color across the floor. The toe sound cues ト while the action matches the coating meaning.
to paint; to spread; to plaster; to apply (cream, lotion); to smear; to lacquer; to varnish; to put up (wallpaper)
coating (esp. lacquering)
coating; painting
to be smeared; to be covered
paint; coating; varnish
covered with; stained; smeared
application (of ointment, etc.)
picture for coloring in (colouring)
to repaint; to paint again; to paint (a different colour)
final coat (of paint, plaster, varnish, etc.); finish; glazing
blotting out
to smear with blood; to kill
undercoat; first coating
medical cream; ointment; salve; liniment
to paint over; to paint out; to fill in; to cover completely (with paint)
to cover (with); to smear; to sprinkle
patching up (e.g. a failure); covering up (e.g. a mistake); glossing over
urethane paint
emulsion paint
painting all over; covering in paint