咚 meaning and stroke order
Onomatopoetic, a thumping sound
How to write 咚, stroke by stroke
8 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
Meaning of 咚
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- (onom.) boom (of a drum)
- knock (on the door)
How 咚 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Mouth.
口 gives the meaning and 冬 hints at the sound.
Radical: 口 (mouth), shared by 428 characters on this site.
How to remember 咚
The mouth 口 on the left marks a sound word, and 冬 (dōng, winter) on the right gives the sound. Picture someone knocking on a door in winter and hearing dōng, dōng.
咚 imitates a dull thump, like a drum beat, a knock on a door, or a heavy object hitting the floor. It is usually doubled as 咚咚 and often followed by 地 or used with verbs like 敲 (qiāo, to knock). Example: 有人咚咚地敲门。(Yǒu rén dōngdōng de qiāo mén.) Someone is knocking thump thump on the door.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes write 冬 (dōng, winter) alone and forget the 口 radical. 咚 is the sound word, and 冬 is the season. Also keep the first tone, even though the doubled 咚咚 is sometimes listed with a neutral second syllable.
Common words with 咚
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 咚咚 | Dōngdong | (onom.) thud; thumping |
Questions about 咚
How many strokes are in 咚?
咚 is written with 8 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 咚 mean?
咚 (dōng) means onomatopoetic, a thumping sound. A common word with it is 咚咚 (Dōngdong), meaning "(onom.) thud; thumping".
How do you pronounce 咚?
咚 is pronounced dōng, in the first tone (high and level).
What is the radical of 咚?
The radical of 咚 is 口, which carries the idea of "mouth". Dictionaries list 咚 under this radical.
What is the difference between 咚 and 当 (dāng) as sound words?
咚 is a low, dull thud, like a drum or a fist on wood. 当 (dāng) usually describes a ringing metallic clang, like a bell or a gong.
Can 咚 describe a heartbeat?
Yes. 心咚咚地跳 (xīn dōngdōng de tiào) means the heart is pounding, often from fear or nervousness. Some speakers also use 怦怦 (pēngpēng) for a heartbeat.