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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#21776DifficultyVery Hard
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
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.
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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Phonosemantic compound. 艹 represents the meaning and 重 represents the sound.
1The meaning half艹 carries the sense.
2The sound half重 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayplant
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 董? 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 董?
Decomposition of 董
IDS Structure⿱艹重
董Full Character
=
艹cao3
top
重chong2
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 董?
How to say surname Dong in Chinese
“surname Dong” in Chinese is董Dǒng
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.
When to use 董
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.'
What learners get wrong
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.
Write 董
董
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Practice writing 董 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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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"
