顿 meaning and stroke order
To stop; to pause; to arrange
How to write 顿, stroke by stroke
10 strokes in order. Each box adds the next stroke in red. Write top to bottom and left to right, and finish enclosing strokes last.
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Meaning of 顿
Definitions from CC-CEDICT, grouped by pronunciation.
- to stop
- to pause
- to arrange
- to lay out
- to kowtow
- to stamp (one's foot)
How 顿 is built
Phono-semantic (sound + meaning) character. Head.
页 gives the meaning and 屯 hints at the sound.
Radical: 页 (page), shared by 39 characters on this site.
How to remember 顿
顿 combines 屯 (tún), which gives the sound, with 页 (yè), which means head. Picture someone bowing their head down and pausing, which links to the senses of kowtowing and stopping.
顿 often appears in words about stopping or settling, like 停顿 (tíngdùn) and 安顿 (āndùn), and in 顿时 (dùnshí) meaning suddenly. It is also very common as a measure word for meals and for scoldings or beatings. Example: 我一天吃三顿饭。(Wǒ yì tiān chī sān dùn fàn.) I eat three meals a day.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes mix up 顿 with 吨 (dūn, ton), which shares the 屯 part but has 口 on the left and a first tone. Remember that 顿 is fourth tone and has the head component 页 on the right.
Common words with 顿
Ordered by HSK level, then by how often they appear in everyday Chinese.
| Word | Pinyin | Meaning | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| 整顿 | zhěngdùn | to tidy up; to reorganize | HSK 6 |
| 停顿 | tíngdùn | to halt; to break off | HSK 7-9 |
| 顿时 | dùnshí | immediately; suddenly | HSK 7-9 |
| 抑扬顿挫 | yìyáng-dùncuò | see 頓挫抑揚|顿挫抑扬[dun4 cuo4 yi4 yang2] | HSK 7-9 |
| 牛顿 | Niúdùn | newton (SI unit of force) | |
| 安顿 | āndùn | to find a place for; to help settle down | |
| 顿悟 | dùnwù | a flash of realization; the truth in a flash |
顿 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Questions about 顿
How many strokes are in 顿?
顿 is written with 10 strokes. The diagrams on this page number every stroke in the order it is written, with the new stroke shown in red.
What does 顿 mean?
顿 (dùn) means to stop; to pause; to arrange. A common word with it is 整顿 (zhěngdùn), meaning "to tidy up; to reorganize".
How do you pronounce 顿?
顿 is pronounced dùn, in the fourth tone (falling).
What is the radical of 顿?
The radical of 顿 is 页, which carries the idea of "page". Dictionaries list 顿 under this radical.
What is the traditional form of 顿?
The traditional form of 顿 is 頓. Traditional characters are used in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau; 顿 is the simplified form used in mainland China and Singapore.
Is 顿 on the HSK exam?
Yes. 顿 is part of the HSK 3 character list in the HSK 3.0 standard, and you are expected to write it by hand from HSK 3.
How is 顿 used as a measure word?
顿 counts meals, as in 一顿饭 (yí dùn fàn), one meal. It also counts episodes of scolding or beating, as in 骂了他一顿 (mà le tā yí dùn), gave him a scolding.
What is the difference between 顿时 and 立刻?
顿时 (dùnshí) describes something that suddenly happened as a result, usually in past narration, such as a room going quiet at once. 立刻 (lìkè) can also give commands or describe future actions, like 你立刻来 (come right away), where 顿时 does not fit.