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March 24, 2026
童tóng(Tong2)
The character 童 (tóng) primarily means 'child' or 'boy' and can also refer to a young servant or a virgin. It is commonly used in contexts related to childhood, education, and youth, emphasizing innocence and playfulness.
Strokes12Radical立Frequency#4220DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, childhood is often idealized, with stories and art celebrating the innocence and creativity of children. The character 童 is frequently found in literature and children's songs, reflecting the importance of youth in society.
Memory tip
Imagine a child (童) playing joyfully in a field. The character has a 'child' radical (子) at the bottom, symbolizing youth, while the top part resembles a roof, suggesting a safe place for a child. Think of the pronunciation 'tóng' as 'toddler' to reinforce the connection.
Meanings of 童
tóng(Tong2)
1child
2child, boy; servant boy; virgin
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 童
童Simplified
12Strokes
立Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#4220Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4
Podcast: 童
Podcast: 童
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AI study notes for 童
Quick Contrast
孩 (hái) — use 童 (tóng) when emphasizing youth or innocence, while 孩 (hái) is more general for 'child'.
Usage Notes
Avoid confusing 童 with similar characters like 儿 (ér), which also relates to children but emphasizes a different aspect. This character is often used in informal contexts, so be mindful of the setting when using it. Common collocations include 童年 (tóngnián - childhood) and 童话 (tónghuà - fairy tale).
HSK Study Tips
While 童 is not part of the official HSK vocabulary lists, it can be related to basic words about family and children, such as 家 (jiā - family) and 小 (xiǎo - small). Focus on its usage in phrases that describe childhood experiences to solidify understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 童 with the character 子 (zǐ), thinking they are interchangeable, but 子 is more general for 'child' and can refer to both genders. Correct usage would be: 童话 (tónghuà - fairy tale) instead of using 子话.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 童
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Phonosemantic compound. 辛 represents the meaning and 重 represents the sound. Based on the original meaning "young servant boy". The meaning later shifted to "child".
The character 童 (tóng) primarily means 'child' or 'boy' and can also refer to a young servant or a virgin. It is commonly used in contexts related to childhood, education, and youth, emphasizing innocence and playfulness.
When to use 童
Avoid confusing 童 with similar characters like 儿 (ér), which also relates to children but emphasizes a different aspect. This character is often used in informal contexts, so be mindful of the setting when using it. Common collocations include 童年 (tóngnián - childhood) and 童话 (tónghuà - fairy tale).
童 or something close to it
孩 (hái) — use 童 (tóng) when emphasizing youth or innocence, while 孩 (hái) is more general for 'child'.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 童 with the character 子 (zǐ), thinking they are interchangeable, but 子 is more general for 'child' and can refer to both genders. Correct usage would be: 童话 (tónghuà - fairy tale) instead of using 子话.
Write 童
童
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Grammar patterns of 童
童 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 3 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
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
纪律的目的是教育儿____举止得体。
The aim of discipline is to teach children to behave acceptably.
Common confusions with 童
童vs懂
dǒng
Similar pronunciation and shape, but different meanings.
童vs桶
tǒng
Similar pronunciation but different meanings and shapes.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “surname Tong”?
or
Example sentences for 童 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
纪律的目的是教育儿童举止得体。
jìlǜ de mùdì shì jiàoyù értóng jǔzhǐ détǐ。
The aim of discipline is to teach children to behave acceptably.
2
这位精神病学家将她的一些问题成功地追溯到她童年时代遭受的严重创伤。
zhè wèi jīngshénbìng xué jiā jiāng tā de yìxiē wèntí chénggōng dì zhuīsù dào tā tóngnián shídài zāoshòu de yánzhòng chuāngshāng。
The psychiatrist successfully traced some of her problems to severe childhood traumas.
3
儿童汽车坐椅一周的租金才10英镑。
értóng qìchē zuò yǐ yī zhōu de zūjīn cái10 yīngbàng。
Child car seats only cost about £10 a week to hire.
4
在诺丁汉我经历了自己在童话剧演出中最尴尬的时刻之一。
zài nuò Dīng hàn wǒ jīnglì le zìjǐ zài tónghuà jù yǎnchū zhōng zuì gāngà de shíkè zhīyī。
I had one of my most embarrassing moments in panto in Nottingham.
It is estimated that every year 50 unaccompanied children arrive in Britain.
6
所有受伤的行人中有1/3以上是儿童。
suǒyǒu shòushāng de xíngrén zhōng yǒu1/3 yǐshàng shì értóng。
More than a third of all pedestrian injuries are to children.
7
她是个神童，十来岁不到就举办音乐会了。
tā shì gè shén tóng， shí lái suì bù dào jiù jǔbàn yīnyuèhuì le。
She was a child prodigy, giving concerts before she was a teenager.
8
3个坐在我附近的学童突然偷偷地笑了起来。
3 gè zuò zài wǒ fùjìn de xué tóng tūrán tōutōu dì xiào le qǐlái。
Suddenly, three schoolkids sitting near me started sniggering.
9
大多数口吃的儿童长大以后就好了。
dàduōshù kǒuchī de értóng zhǎngdà yǐhòu jiù hǎo le。
Most children who stammer grow out of it.
10
儿童天生好表现自己。
értóng tiānshēng hǎo biǎoxiàn zìjǐ。
Children are natural exhibitionists.
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Cultural Notes for 童
💡Did you know?
In Chinese culture, the character 童 symbolizes youth and innocence. Children are often seen as symbols of hope and the future, and festivals celebrating children, like Children's Day, are widely observed.
Word Family of 童
Compounds24
撞zhuàngto hit
幢chuángbanner
瞳tóngthe pupil of the eye
憧chōngindecisive, irresolute; to yearn for
僮tóngpage, servant boy
噇chuáng
曈tóng
朣tóng
潼tónghigh, lofty; a mountain pass
獞tóng
疃tuǎnhamlet; area near a city
穜tóng
罿chōng
艟chōngancient warship
勭tóng
墥dǒng
徸chōng
橦tóng
燑tóng
犝tóng
膧tóng
蕫dǒng
蹱zhōng
鐘zhōngclock; bell
Words containing this character20
儿童értóngchild兒童
童tóngchild
童年tóngniánchildhood
童话tónghuàchildren's fairy tales童話
童子军tóngzǐjūnchild soldiers童子軍
孩童háitóngchild
女童nǚtóngsmall girl
神童shéntóngchild prodigy
童子tóngzǐboy
男童nántóngboy
幼童yòutóngyoung child
童装tóngzhuāngchildren's clothing童裝
童心tóngxīnchildish heart
童真tóngzhēnnaivete
顽童wántóngurchin頑童
童工tónggōngchild labor
童谣tóngyáonursery rhyme童謠
童贞tóngzhēnvirginity童貞
童星tóngxīngchild star
河童hétóngKappa, a child-size humanoid water creature in Japanese folklore
Exercise 1 of 4
Characters with 童
What does 撞 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 童
Yes, 童 (Tóng) is recognized as a Chinese surname, although it is less common than many others. It can also be found in different regions, reflecting the diversity of Chinese surnames.
Phrases like '童年' (tóngnián), meaning 'childhood,' or '童话' (tónghuà), meaning 'fairy tale,' are common. These phrases highlight the character's association with youth and innocence.
童 (tóng) primarily means 'child' or 'boy' in Chinese. It can also refer to a servant boy or a virgin in certain contexts. The character is commonly used in expressions related to childhood or youth.
You can use 童 (tóng) in sentences like '他是一个快乐的童孩' (Tā shì yīgè kuàilè de tónghái), which means 'He is a happy child.' It’s important to use it in contexts that pertain to youth or childhood.
童 specifically refers to children or boys, often with a connotation of innocence, while 小 is a general term for 'small' or 'young' and can describe anything that is diminutive.
童 generally refers to boys, but it can also be used in a broader sense to refer to children of any gender, especially in compound words.
童 is more common in informal contexts; in formal writing, you might encounter terms like 儿童 (értóng) when referring to children.
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