督 means “supervise, direct, urge”

とく · toku

Also: coach, command, lead

On'yomi (Chinese reading)

トク

JLPT N1 · Taught in secondary school · 13 strokes

The story

An eye (目) under 叔, uncle: picture a stern uncle keeping watch over the family business. 督 is directing: a 監督 is a film director or a team's manager, and a 督促状 is the letter demanding a payment that is overdue.

Used in 監督 (kantoku, director/manager), 督促 (tokusoku, demand for payment), and 総督 (soutoku, governor-general)

More from Plans & Leadership

• 催 host
• 司 administer
• 執 grasp
• 措 measure
• 揮 wield
• 操 operate
• 託 entrust
• 宰 preside
• 轄 control
• 摂 take in
• 吏 official
• 統 unify

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Readings from KANJIDIC2, © EDRDG, CC BY-SA.