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March 24, 2026
敦(㪟)dūn(dun1)
The character 敦 (dūn) conveys a sense of honesty, sincerity, and kindness. It is often used to describe individuals who are straightforward and trustworthy, and it can also relate to the esteem given to someone or something. In addition, it appears as a variant in personal names and place names, reflecting a cultural emphasis on moral integrity.
Strokes12Radical攵Frequency#12871DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 敦 represents not only personal virtues but also societal values, reflecting the importance of honesty and integrity in relationships and business. It is often used in contexts that celebrate traditional virtues.
Memory Tip
Imagine a kind-hearted person (敦) standing on a 'dune' (sounds like 'dūn') of sand, sharing honest stories with everyone around them. The character's form, with the radical for 'earth' (土), suggests a grounded, sincere nature.
Meanings of 敦
dūn(dun1)
1honest, candid, sincere; kind-hearted; to esteem
2place name
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
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About 敦
敦Simplified
㪟Traditional
12Strokes
攵Radical
地名míngcíplace name (p.n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 敦
Podcast: 敦
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AI Study Notes for 敦
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a kind-hearted person (敦) standing on a 'dune' (sounds like 'dūn') of sand, sharing honest stories with everyone around them. The character's form, with the radical for 'earth' (土), suggests a grounded, sincere nature.
Usage Notes
Be mindful of the tone when pronouncing 敦, as it is pronounced with a high level tone (dūn). It's common to see this character used in formal contexts, such as in literature or when discussing virtues. A common collocation is 敦厚 (dūnhòu), meaning 'kind-hearted' or 'generous.'
HSK Study Tips
While 敦 is not currently categorized in the HSK levels, it may be beneficial for learners at HSK 4 or 5 to recognize this character as it embodies complex moral qualities. Students should focus on its nuances and usage in context, especially in literature and idiomatic expressions.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, 敦 represents not only personal virtues but also societal values, reflecting the importance of honesty and integrity in relationships and business. It is often used in contexts that celebrate traditional virtues.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 敦 with similar-sounding characters like '顿' (dùn), which means 'to pause' or 'to stop.' Remember, 敦 focuses on sincerity and kindness, while '顿' refers to a momentary halt.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 敦
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Grammar Patterns of 敦
敦 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). 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 4
Complete the Sentence
他们依然很熟悉伦____市郊的喧闹声。
Their ears were still attuned to the sounds of the London suburb.
Example Sentences for 敦 (10)
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1
他们依然很熟悉伦敦市郊的喧闹声。
tā mén yī rán hěn shú xī lún dūn shì jiāo de xuān nào shēng。
Their ears were still attuned to the sounds of the London suburb.
2
休斯敦被选作大会的会址。
xiū sī dūn bèi xuǎn zuò dà huì de huì zhǐ。
Houston was chosen as the site for the convention.
3
类似劳埃德保险公司的那些丑闻令伦敦名声扫地。
lèi sì láo āi dé bǎo xiǎn gōng sī de nà xiē chǒu wén líng lún dūn míng shēng sǎo dì。
The City's reputation has been sullied by scandals like those at Lloyd's.
4
斯特兰德街是伦敦最繁华、最富足的街道之一。
sī tè lán dé jiē shì lún dūn zuì fán huá、 、 zuì fù zú de jiē dào zhī。
The Strand is one of London's busiest and most affluent streets.
5
她是伦敦著名的“薄荷犀牛”夜总会的钢管舞舞者。
tā shì lún dūn zhù míng de“ “ báo hé xī” niú ” yè zǒng huì de gāng guǎn wǔ。
She is a pole dancer at London's famous Spearmint Rhino club.
6
在我生长的伦敦，四周全是轰炸后的断壁残垣。
zài wǒ shēng cháng de lún dūn， ， sì zhōu quán shì hōng zhà hòu de duàn bì cán。
In London, where I grew up, we were surrounded by bomb sites.
The London Evening Standard moved offices a few years ago.
9
我及时赶上了飞往伦敦的航班。
wǒ jí shí gǎn shàng le fēi wǎng lún dūn de háng bān。
I arrived just in time for my flight to London.
10
T恤衫现在几乎成了伦敦西区时尚人士的必备之物。
T T xù shān xiàn zài jī hū chéng le lún dūn xī qū shí shàng rén shì de bì bèi zhī。
T-shirts now seem almost de rigueur in the West End.
Cultural Notes for 敦
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, 敦 represents not only personal virtues but also societal values, reflecting the importance of honesty and integrity in relationships and business. It is often used in contexts that celebrate traditional virtues.
Word Family of 敦
Words Containing This Character20
伦敦London, capital of United Kingdom倫敦
敦促dūncùto press
敦dūnkindhearted
敦煌Dunhuang county level city in Jiuquan 酒泉, Gansu
休斯敦Houston, Texas
开普敦Cape Town (city in South Africa)開普敦
乔治敦Georgetown喬治敦
敦厚dūnhòugenuine
南安普敦Southampton, town in south England
敦煌市Dunhuang county level city in Jiuquan 酒泉, Gansu
伦敦证券交易所London Stock Exchange (LSE)倫敦證券交易所
金斯敦Kingston, capital of Jamaica
王敦Wang Dun (266-324), powerful general of Jin dynasty and brother of civil official Wang Dao 王導|王导, subsequently rebellious warlord 322-324
弗里敦Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone
列支敦士登Liechtenstein
敦刻尔克Dunkirk, port in northern France敦刻爾克
敦化Dunhua county level city in Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture 延邊朝鮮族自治州|延边朝鲜族自治州, Jilin
周敦颐Zhou Dunyi (1017-1073), Song dynasty neo-Confucian scholar周敦頤
敦化市Dunhua county level city in Yanbian Korean autonomous prefecture 延邊朝鮮族自治州|延边朝鲜族自治州, Jilin
敦煌石窟Dunhuang caves in Gansu
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 伦敦 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 敦
An example sentence is: '他是一个敦厚的人' (Tā shì yī gè dūnhòu de rén), meaning 'He is a kind-hearted person.'
While it may not be frequent in casual conversation, it's often found in formal writing or discussions about character.
'诚实' (chéngshí - honest) and '真诚' (zhēnchéng - sincere) are similar in meaning.
