The Kanji: 謄 (Tō)
The kanji 謄 (read as tō) carries the specific meaning of "to copy," "to transcribe," or "to make a facsimile." It is composed of the radical 言 (words/speech) and the component 卷 (to roll, scroll), suggesting the action of copying written words from one scroll or document to another. This character is used exclusively for creating duplicate documents.
Common Words & Example Sentences
1. 謄本 (tōhon)
Meaning: Certified copy; transcript (of an official document).
Example Sentence: 役所で住民票の謄本を取得した。
(Yakusho de jūminhyō no tōhon o shutoku shita.)
"I obtained a certified copy of my residence certificate at the city office."
2. 謄写 (tōsha)
Meaning: Copying; transcription.
Example Sentence: この文書を謄写してください。
(Kono bunsho o tōsha shite kudasai.)
"Please make a copy of this document."
3. 謄写版 (tōshaban)
Meaning: Stencil duplicator; mimeograph.
Example Sentence: 昔は学校で謄写版を使ってプリントを作った。
(Mukashi wa gakkō de tōshaban o tsukatte purinto o tsukutta.)
"In the past, we used mimeographs to make handouts at school."
In summary, 謄 is a specialized kanji used exclusively for creating copies of documents, particularly official ones. Its most common and important usage is in the word 謄本 (certified copy), which is essential for administrative and legal procedures in Japan.