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March 24, 2026
董Dǒng(Dong3)
The character 董 (Dǒng) primarily functions as a surname in Chinese, specifically meaning 'to supervise' or 'to direct.' It is commonly used in contexts related to leadership roles, such as a director or supervisor in various organizations or projects.
Strokes12Radical艹Frequency#21776DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, surnames carry significant importance, often indicating lineage and heritage. 董 is associated with various notable historical figures and can evoke respect when used in a professional context.
Memory Tip
Think of 董 as a 'donkey' (pronounced similarly in English) leading a group—this image connects to the idea of directing or supervising. The radical '艹' (cǎo) at the top can remind you of the grass underneath which the 'dong' is growing, symbolizing growth under supervision.
Meanings of 董
Dǒng(Dong3)
1to supervise
2to direct
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 董
董Simplified
12Strokes
艹Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#21776Frequency Rank
Podcast: 董
Podcast: 董
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AI Study Notes for 董
Memory Mnemonic
Think of 董 as a 'donkey' (pronounced similarly in English) leading a group—this image connects to the idea of directing or supervising. The radical '艹' (cǎo) at the top can remind you of the grass underneath which the 'dong' is growing, symbolizing growth under supervision.
Usage Notes
董 is often used in both formal and informal contexts, especially in professional settings. A common mistake is confusing it with similar-sounding characters; focus on the context to differentiate. It frequently appears with other characters to denote roles in business, like 董事 (dǒngshì) for 'director.'
HSK Study Tips
Although 董 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it can help learners understand the structure of surnames and professional terms in Chinese. Focus on related words like 监督 (jiāndū, 'to supervise') to build your vocabulary around this character.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, surnames carry significant importance, often indicating lineage and heritage. 董 is associated with various notable historical figures and can evoke respect when used in a professional context.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 董 with similar characters like 懂 (dǒng), which means 'to understand.' For example, saying '我懂这个项目' (Wǒ dǒng zhège xiàngmù) mistakenly instead of '我董这个项目' (Wǒ dǒng zhège xiàngmù) can lead to confusion about meaning.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 董
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Grammar Patterns of 董
董 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 5 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
有些人会把这些奇怪的铁片与木块称作“古____”。
Some would call these odd pieces of iron and wood "antiques"
Yang Dongtang, President , will give public figures a warm welcome.
8
他声称把所有的钱都投进了自己的古董生意。
tā shēng chēng bǎ suǒ yǒu de qián dū tóu jìn le zì jǐ de gǔ dǒng shēng yì。
He claimed he ploughed all his money into his antique business.
9
鸿 渐 道: “ 董先生不愧系出名门!
hóng jiàn:“ dào : “ dǒng xiān shēng bù kuì xì!
Hung - chien said, " Mr. Tung does indeed come from an illustrious family!
10
他对董事长的批评造成众愤难平.
tā duì dǒng shì cháng de pī píng zào chéng zhòng fèn nán píng.
His criticisms of the president stirred up a hornet's nest.
Cultural Notes for 董
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, surnames carry significant importance, often indicating lineage and heritage. 董 is associated with various notable historical figures and can evoke respect when used in a professional context.
Word Family of 董
Compounds2
懂dong3to understand
嬞
Words Containing This Character10
董事会dǒngshìhuìboard of directors董事會
古董gǔdǒngcurio
董事dǒngshìboard member
董事长dǒngshìzhǎngchairman董事長
董Dǒngto direct
董卓Dong Zhuo (-192), top general of late Han, usurped power in 189, murdered empress dowager and child emperor, killed in 192 by Lü Bu 呂布|吕布
董建华Tung Chee-hwa (1937-), Hong Kong entrepreneur and politician, chief executive 1997-2005董建華
董必武Dong Biwu (1886-1975), one of the founders of the Chinese communist party
董仲舒Dong Zhongshu (179-104 BC), philosopher influential in establishing Confucianism as the established system of values of former Han dynasty
