塗る

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 塗る is read as ぬる and is a transitive verb for spreading paint, medicine, cream, or another substance over a surface.
• Basic usage: Mark the surface with を, as in 椅子を塗る, and the material or implement with で, as in ペンキで塗る.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Surface and material
  • を marks the surface being covered, whereas で marks the material or means used to coat it.
• Related action
  • 描く focuses on producing lines or an image; 塗る focuses on covering a surface with a substance.