cǎotú: 草图 - Sketch, Draft, Rough Drawing

• Keywords: cǎotú, 草图, sketch in Chinese, draft in Chinese, rough drawing, blueprint, Chinese for sketch, how to say sketch in Chinese, cǎo, tú, wireframe in Chinese, Chinese design vocabulary, HSK 5
• Summary: “草图” (cǎotú) is the essential Chinese word for a “sketch,” “draft,” or “rough drawing.” It refers to a preliminary, unpolished visual representation of an idea, used in contexts ranging from an artist's initial concept and an architect's first plan to a tech company's website wireframe. Understanding cǎotú is key to discussing the creative and planning processes in modern Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): cǎo tú
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: A rough drawing, sketch, or preliminary plan.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 草图 (cǎotú) as the visual equivalent of a “first draft.” It's the quick, imperfect, and essential first step in bringing a visual idea to life. Whether it's scribbled on a napkin to explain a concept or a basic wireframe for a new app, a 草图 is all about capturing the core idea, not the fine details.

• 草 (cǎo): This character's primary meaning is “grass” or “straw.” From this, it extends to mean “rough,” “hasty,” or “draft.” Imagine something put together as simply and naturally as wild grass, without careful cultivation. This “draft” meaning is also seen in the word for a written draft, 草稿 (cǎogǎo).
• 图 (tú): This character means “picture,” “drawing,” “map,” or “plan.” It's a box with a “winter” radical inside, which some etymologists suggest originally depicted a map of a village, a plan.
• How they combine: Together, 草图 (cǎotú) literally translates to a “grass picture” or “draft drawing.” This perfectly captures the essence of a sketch: a drawing that is still in its raw, unrefined, and preliminary stage.

While 草图 (cǎotú) doesn't carry the deep philosophical weight of terms like 关系 (guānxi), its usage reveals a universal, modern approach to creation and planning that is just as prevalent in China as in the West. In Western business and tech, we might talk about a “back-of-the-napkin sketch,” a “wireframe,” or a “mockup.” 草图 is a versatile term that covers all of these. It represents the initial, iterative stage of a project, where ideas are explored freely without the pressure of perfection. The key contrast is with a term like 蓝图 (lántú), which means “blueprint.” A 草图 is for brainstorming and exploration. A 蓝图, on the other hand, is a detailed, authoritative plan for execution. Asking a colleague for a 草图 is a low-pressure request for an idea, while asking for a 蓝图 is a high-pressure demand for a final, workable plan. This distinction highlights a respect for the creative process, acknowledging the need for a rough, exploratory phase before committing to a final design.

草图 is a common, practical term used across many professional and casual fields.

For artists, architects, and designers, a 草图 is the starting point of any visual work. It's the initial sketch to map out composition, form, and layout before committing to a more detailed drawing or final product.

• “Let me see the fashion design sketch.” (让我看看服装设计的草图。)

In a business or tech setting, 草图 is the go-to term for a preliminary plan, a website wireframe, or a diagram of a process. It implies the plan is open to discussion and change.

• “I've drawn a rough sketch of the project workflow.” (我画了一个项目流程的草图。)

Metaphorically, you can use 草图 to refer to a rough plan for anything, even if it's not a literal drawing.

• “Do you have a rough plan (a sketch) for your travel itinerary?” (你的旅行计划有草图了吗？)

• Example 1:
  • 这只是一张草图，不是最终版本。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǐshì yī zhāng cǎotú, bùshì zuìzhōng bǎnběn.
  • English: This is just a sketch, not the final version.
  • Analysis: This sentence perfectly highlights the preliminary nature of a 草图. The measure word for a flat drawing, 张 (zhāng), is used here.
• Example 2:
  • 那个画家在画画前，总是先画几张草图。
  • Pinyin: Nàge huàjiā zài huàhuà qián, zǒngshì xiān huà jǐ zhāng cǎotú.
  • English: That artist always draws a few sketches before starting a painting.
  • Analysis: Shows the role of 草图 in the artistic process. Note the verb 画 (huà), “to draw,” is used with 草图.
• Example 3:
  • 建筑师给我看了房子的草图。
  • Pinyin: Jiànzhúshī gěi wǒ kànle fángzi de cǎotú.
  • English: The architect showed me the sketch of the house.
  • Analysis: A classic example of 草图 in a professional design context.
• Example 4:
  • 我们先画个草图，再讨论细节吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xiān huà ge cǎotú, zài tǎolùn xìjié ba.
  • English: Let's draw a rough sketch first, then we can discuss the details.
  • Analysis: This is very common in brainstorming sessions. It separates the big-picture planning (草图) from the details (细节).
• Example 5:
  • 这个App的用户界面草图是谁设计的？
  • Pinyin: Zhège App de yònghù jièmiàn cǎotú shì shéi shèjì de?
  • English: Who designed the user interface sketch (wireframe) for this app?
  • Analysis: Shows the modern usage of 草图 in the tech industry to mean “wireframe” or “mockup.”
• Example 6:
  • 他在餐巾纸上随手画了一张新产品的草图。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài cānjīnzhǐ shàng suíshǒu huàle yī zhāng xīn chǎnpǐn de cǎotú.
  • English: He casually drew a sketch of the new product on a napkin.
  • Analysis: The phrase 随手 (suíshǒu), meaning “casually” or “without effort,” perfectly complements the informal nature of a 草图.
• Example 7:
  • 根据这张草图，我们还无法开始施工。
  • Pinyin: Gēnjù zhè zhāng cǎotú, wǒmen hái wúfǎ kāishǐ shīgōng.
  • English: Based on this sketch, we still cannot begin construction.
  • Analysis: This sentence clearly contrasts a 草图 with a more detailed, actionable plan needed for construction.
• Example 8:
  • 我对你的草图有一些修改建议。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ duì nǐ de cǎotú yǒu yīxiē xiūgǎi jiànyì.
  • English: I have some suggestions for revising your draft.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates how a 草图 is meant to be discussed and iterated upon.
• Example 9:
  • 你能帮我快速画一个流程草图吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bāng wǒ kuàisù huà yīgè liúchéng cǎotú ma?
  • English: Can you help me quickly draw a sketch of the process flow?
  • Analysis: A common request in a work environment. 快速 (kuàisù), “quickly,” emphasizes the rough nature of the task.
• Example 10:
  • 他的小说还只有一个故事草图。
  • Pinyin: Tā de xiǎoshuō hái zhǐyǒu yīgè gùshì cǎotú.
  • English: His novel is still just a story sketch (outline).
  • Analysis: An excellent example of 草图 used metaphorically for a non-visual plan, like a story outline. Here, it functions similarly to 大纲 (dàgāng), an outline.

• 草图 (cǎotú) vs. 草稿 (cǎogǎo): This is the most critical distinction for learners.
  • 草图 (cǎotú) is for visuals: drawings, plans, diagrams, wireframes.
  • 草稿 (cǎogǎo) is for text: essays, articles, emails, manuscripts.
  • Incorrect: 我写了一篇文章的草图。 (I wrote a sketch of an article.)
  • Correct: 我写了一篇文章的草稿。 (I wrote a draft of an article.)
• 草图 (cǎotú) vs. 蓝图 (lántú): Don't use them interchangeably.
  • A 草图 is a preliminary idea (ideation phase).
  • A 蓝图 (lántú) is a final, detailed “blueprint” (execution phase).
  • You make a 草图 to figure out what to build. You use a 蓝图 to actually build it.
• 草图 (cǎotú) vs. 素描 (sùmiáo):
  • 草图 emphasizes the purpose: it's a preliminary step.
  • 素描 (sùmiáo) describes an artistic technique (sketching, often with pencil or charcoal) and can refer to a finished piece of art in that style. A 素描 can be a work of art in itself, but a 草图 is almost always a means to an end.

• 草稿 (cǎogǎo) - The textual equivalent of a 草图; a draft of a written work.
• 蓝图 (lántú) - Blueprint. A final, detailed plan for construction or implementation. The “opposite” of a 草图 in terms of finality.
• 设计图 (shèjìtú) - Design drawing. More formal and detailed than a 草图, but perhaps not as final as a 蓝图.
• 示意图 (shìyìtú) - Schematic diagram, illustration. A drawing meant to clearly illustrate how something works or is laid out.
• 素描 (sùmiáo) - Sketch/Sketching. Refers to a specific style of drawing (e.g., pencil sketch) and can be a finished artwork.
• 轮廓 (lúnkuò) - Outline, contour. Refers to the outer lines or general shape of something.
• 初稿 (chūgǎo) - First draft. Very similar to 草稿, typically used for documents or manuscripts.
• 画画 (huàhuà) - To draw, to paint. The general verb for creating pictures.