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恫 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
dòngfearful, pained, sorrowfulvn, 9 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
dòngfrightenunknown, 9 strokes, radical 忄, Very Hard
dòng(dong4) T4
  1. 1fearful, pained, sorrowful
  2. 2frighten
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March 24, 2026
dòng(dong4)

The character 恫 (dòng) conveys feelings of fear or sorrow, often indicating a state of being frightened or pained emotionally. It is commonly used in contexts where someone experiences profound distress or is overwhelmed by fear. This character may also appear in literary or formal contexts when discussing emotional turmoil.

Strokes9RadicalFrequency#—DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, characters like 恫 are often used to evoke strong emotional responses in poetry and prose, reflecting the cultural significance of expressing deep feelings. This aligns with traditional views on the importance of emotional intelligence in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Think of the character 恫 as a heart (心) that is troubled (恫) by something frightening. Imagine a person whose heart is racing in fear, represented by the heart symbol and the encompassing outer shape, which shows the emotional weight they carry.

Meanings of 恫

dòng(dong4)
1fearful, pained, sorrowful
2frighten
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 恫

Simplified
9Strokes
Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank

Podcast: 恫

JasonAmy

Podcast:

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AI Study Notes for 恫

Memory Mnemonic

Think of the character 恫 as a heart (心) that is troubled (恫) by something frightening. Imagine a person whose heart is racing in fear, represented by the heart symbol and the encompassing outer shape, which shows the emotional weight they carry.

Usage Notes

Learners often confuse 恫 with similar characters related to fear, such as 恐 (kǒng), which also means fear but in a different context. Additionally, this character is more formal, so it’s best used in written language or serious conversations rather than casual speech.

HSK Study Tips

Though 恫 is not included in HSK levels, it enriches vocabulary related to emotions. Students should focus on distinguishing it from other fear-related words, practicing recognition and usage in emotional expressions.

Cultural Note

In Chinese literature, characters like 恫 are often used to evoke strong emotional responses in poetry and prose, reflecting the cultural significance of expressing deep feelings. This aligns with traditional views on the importance of emotional intelligence in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners might incorrectly use 恫 in casual settings, where simpler expressions would suffice. For example, saying '我很恫' (wǒ hěn dòng) instead of '我很害怕' (wǒ hěn hàipà) to express fear is a common mistake.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 恫

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Etymology of 恫

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

Phonosemantic compound. 忄 represents the meaning and 同 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

heart

Semantic (meaning)
+
Phonetic (sound)
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 恫?

Decomposition of 恫

IDS Structure⿰忄同
Full Character
=
xin1
left
tong2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 恫?

Write 恫

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

Write correctly 3 times to earn XP

Grammar Patterns of 恫

恫 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 2 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

____吓将迫使他们把兵力铺得更广。

The threat will force greater dispersion of their forces.

Example Sentences for 恫 (1)

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1
恫吓将迫使他们把兵力铺得更广。

dòng xià jiāng pò shǐ tā mén bǎ bīng lì pū dé gēng guǎng。

The threat will force greater dispersion of their forces.

Cultural Notes for 恫

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese literature, characters like 恫 are often used to evoke strong emotional responses in poetry and prose, reflecting the cultural significance of expressing deep feelings. This aligns with traditional views on the importance of emotional intelligence in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 恫

Words Containing This Character2
恫吓to intimidate恫嚇
dòngfrighten
Exercise 1 of 2

Compound Meaning

What does 恫吓 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 恫

恫 emphasizes emotional pain or sorrow associated with fear, while 恐 simply refers to fear itself.