Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
酮tóng(tong2)
酮 (tóng) refers to a class of organic compounds characterized by a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms. Commonly encountered in chemistry, ketones play a significant role in various biological processes and are often involved in metabolic pathways. They are frequently discussed in the context of organic chemistry and biochemistry.
Strokes13Radical酉Frequency#9197DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of balance in bodily fluids often relates to ketones, as they can signify metabolic states like ketosis. This reflects a broader understanding of health and energy within Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a 'ton' of sugar on a table, where the 'ton' represents the weight of the carbon atoms. The character 酮 looks like a person (the '亻' radical) enjoying a 'ton' of sweetness, reminding you of the compound related to sugars and energy.
Meanings of 酮
tóng(tong2)
1ketone
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 酮
酮Simplified
13Strokes
酉Radical
语素morpheme (morph.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 酮
Podcast: 酮
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 酮
Usage Notes
While酮 is primarily used in scientific contexts, learners should be cautious with its pronunciation, as it can be confused with similar-sounding words. It is generally used in formal settings, such as academic discussions or professional chemistry. Be mindful of using the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings.
HSK Study Tips
酮 is not part of the HSK vocabulary list, but understanding it can help learners grasp more complex scientific terms. Focus on memorizing related vocabulary such as '醛' (aldehyde) and '酸' (acid), which are also organic compounds.
Common Mistakes
Learners often mispronounce 酮 as 'kǒng' due to confusion with similar-sounding characters. Additionally, mixing it up with '酚' (phenol) is common, so be sure to practice distinguishing these terms.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 酮
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 酮 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 酉 represents the meaning and 同 represents the sound.
1The meaning half酉 carries the sense.
2The sound half同 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaychemical
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 酮? 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 酮?
Decomposition of 酮
IDS Structure⿰酉同
酮Full Character
=
酉you3
left
同tong2
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 酮?
How to say ketone in Chinese
“ketone” in Chinese is酮tóng
酮 (tóng) refers to a class of organic compounds characterized by a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms. Commonly encountered in chemistry, ketones play a significant role in various biological processes and are often involved in metabolic pathways. They are frequently discussed in the context of organic chemistry and biochemistry.
When to use 酮
While酮 is primarily used in scientific contexts, learners should be cautious with its pronunciation, as it can be confused with similar-sounding words. It is generally used in formal settings, such as academic discussions or professional chemistry. Be mindful of using the correct tone to avoid misunderstandings.
What learners get wrong
Learners often mispronounce 酮 as 'kǒng' due to confusion with similar-sounding characters. Additionally, mixing it up with '酚' (phenol) is common, so be sure to practice distinguishing these terms.
Write 酮
酮
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 酮 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 酮
酮 carries one core meaning. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.
Exercise 1 of 5
Complete the Sentence
解决了最初的一些问题之后，终于成功地制造出了大量丙____。
After some initial problems, acetone was successfully produced in quantity.
Example Sentences for 酮 (7)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
解决了最初的一些问题之后，终于成功地制造出了大量丙酮。
jiě jué le zuì chū de yī xiē wèn tí zhī hòu， ， zhōng yú chéng gōng dì zhì zào chū le dà liáng bǐng。
After some initial problems, acetone was successfully produced in quantity.
2
牛的酮病会有一种甜而令人讨厌的气味.
niú de tóng bìng huì yǒu yī zhǒng tián ér líng rén tǎo yàn de qì wèi.
There may be a sweet sickly smell of ketosis in cattle.
3
这两个氨基酸从丙酮酸获得它们的碳架.
zhè liǎng gè ān jī suān cóng bǐng tóng suān huò dé tā mén de tàn jià.
These two amino acids derive their carbon skeletons from pyruvate.
