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噸 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
噸dūna metric tonzg, 16 strokes, radical 口
dūn(dun1) T1
  1. 1a metric ton
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026

噸dūn(dun1)

噸 (dūn) refers to a metric ton, a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. It is commonly used in trade, shipping, and industry to quantify large quantities of materials. This term is crucial for understanding weights and measurements in both commercial and everyday contexts.

Strokes16Radical口
Cultural Note

In China, the use of metric units, including 噸, reflects the country's modernization and integration into the global economy, especially in industries like manufacturing and shipping.

Memory Tip

Imagine a giant 'dune' made of sand, where each grain represents a metric ton. The character 噸 includes the radical for 'speech' (口), symbolizing the communication of heavy weights, and the 'dun' sound can help you remember its pronunciation.

Meanings of 噸

dūn(dun1)
1a metric ton
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 噸

噸Simplified
16Strokes
口Radical
状态词stative word (stat.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 噸

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Podcast: 噸

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AI Study Notes for 噸

Usage Notes

噸 is primarily used in formal contexts such as trade and industry. Be careful not to confuse it with other weight measurements like 千克 (qiānkè - kilogram). It is often used in phrases like '噸位' (dūnwèi - tonnage) to discuss capacities.

HSK Study Tips

Though 噸 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it is useful for learners at HSK 4 and above who are studying commerce or logistics. Focus on its application in real-life scenarios involving weight and shipping.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write 噸 as tons (without the radical) or confuse it with other measurements. For example, saying '我有一吨的水' (I have one ton of water) is correct, but mixing it with 千克 can lead to confusion.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 噸

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Etymology of 噸

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 屯 represents the sound. Simplified form of 噸.

Memory Hint

mouth

Semantic (meaning)口
+
Phonetic (sound)頓
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters

Jason Etymology Detective

Case file: 噸

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 屯 represents the sound. Simplified form of 噸.

  1. 1The meaning half口 carries the sense.
  2. 2The sound half頓 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
  3. 3The giveawaymouth
  4. 4On the record aspictophonetic.

Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.

Want the full history of 噸? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.

Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 噸?

Decomposition of 噸

IDS Structure⿰口頓
噸Full Character
=
口kou3
left
頓dun4
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 噸?

How to say a metric ton in Chinese

“a metric ton” in Chinese is噸dūn

噸 (dūn) refers to a metric ton, a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. It is commonly used in trade, shipping, and industry to quantify large quantities of materials. This term is crucial for understanding weights and measurements in both commercial and everyday contexts.

When to use 噸

噸 is primarily used in formal contexts such as trade and industry. Be careful not to confuse it with other weight measurements like 千克 (qiānkè - kilogram). It is often used in phrases like '噸位' (dūnwèi - tonnage) to discuss capacities.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly write 噸 as tons (without the radical) or confuse it with other measurements. For example, saying '我有一吨的水' (I have one ton of water) is correct, but mixing it with 千克 can lead to confusion.

Write 噸

噸

Practice writing 噸 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Word Family of 噸

Words Containing This Character5
吨dūnton (loanword)噸
吨位tonnage噸位
公吨ton公噸
吨公里ton-kilometer (unit of capacity of transport system)噸公里
总吨位overall tonnage (of a shipping fleet or company)總噸位
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 吨 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 噸

'两噸' (liǎng dūn) is the correct way to say 'two tons'.

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