• 塔とう — tower; pagoda
• 仏塔ぶっとう — Buddhist pagoda
• 石塔せきとう — stone tower; stone pagoda
• 尖塔せんとう — spire; pointed tower
• 鉄塔てっとう — steel tower; transmission tower
• 塔頂とうちょう — top of a tower

With the earth radical 土つち on the left, 塔 suggests a tall structure rising firmly from the ground. The right side gives the sound トウ, while the whole character points to towers and pagodas that stand as landmarks or religious symbols.