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

恫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.

Strokes9Radical忄
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

By ear

Play it, then pick what 恫 means.

About 恫

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

Podcast: 恫

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Podcast: 恫

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AI study notes for 恫

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.

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

Origin

恫 = 忄 + 同. What kind of character does that make it?

Decomposition of 恫

IDS Structure⿰忄同
恫Full character
=
忄xin1
left
同tong2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 恫?

How to say fearful, pained, sorrowful in Chinese

“fearful, pained, sorrowful” in Chinese is恫dòng

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.

When to use 恫

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.

What learners get wrong

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.

Write 恫

恫

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

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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

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

____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 hè jiāng pòshǐ tāmen bǎ bīng lì pū de gèng guǎng。

The threat will force greater dispersion of their forces.

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Word Family of 恫

Words containing this character2
恫吓to intimidate恫嚇
恫dòngfrighten
Exercise 1 of 1

Words with 恫

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.

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