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冬 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
冬dōngwinterHSK 1, t, 5 strokes, radical ⺀, rank #8578, Medium
冬dōng(onom.) beating a drumHSK 1, t, 5 strokes, radical ⺀, rank #8578, Medium
冬dōngrat-a-tatHSK 1, t, 5 strokes, radical ⺀, rank #8578, Medium
冬dōngsurname DongHSK 1, t, 5 strokes, radical ⺀, rank #8578, Medium
冬dōngwinter, 11th lunar monthHSK 1, t, 5 strokes, radical ⺀, rank #8578, Medium
dōng(dong1) T1
  1. 1winter
  2. 2(onom.) beating a drum
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
冬(鼕)dōng(dong1)

The character 冬 (dōng) primarily means 'winter,' referring to the coldest season of the year. It is often used in contexts related to weather, seasonal activities, and cultural references, such as winter festivals and holidays. This character can also appear in phrases describing the characteristics of winter or traditions associated with it.

Strokes5Radical⺀Frequency#8578DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, winter is often associated with the celebration of the Winter Solstice (冬至, dōngzhì), which is a significant time for family gatherings and traditional foods like dumplings. This character also links to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.

Memory Tip

Imagine a snowy landscape in winter where icicles hang down like the character 冬. The two horizontal lines can represent the cold, flat ground covered in snow, while the vertical line symbolizes the chill in the air, reminding you of 'dōng' for 'winter.'

Meanings of 冬

dōng(dong1)
1winter
2(onom.) beating a drum
Exercise 1 of 3

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 冬

冬Simplified
鼕Traditional
5Strokes
⺀Radical
时间词time word (t.)Part of Speech
#8578Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L1TOCFLL3YCTL4HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 冬

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Podcast: 冬

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AI Study Notes for 冬

Quick Contrast

夏 (xià) - refers to 'summer,' the season opposite to winter; 春 (chūn) - means 'spring,' the season following winter.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a snowy landscape in winter where icicles hang down like the character 冬. The two horizontal lines can represent the cold, flat ground covered in snow, while the vertical line symbolizes the chill in the air, reminding you of 'dōng' for 'winter.'

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 冬 (winter) with other seasonal characters like 春 (spring) or 秋 (autumn). Common collocations include 冬天 (dōngtiān - winter) and 冬季 (dōngjì - winter season). The tone must be pronounced correctly; a mistake may lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK Level 3 word, 冬 helps learners connect with other season-related vocabulary, such as 春 (spring) and 秋 (autumn). Focus on using it in complete sentences to describe seasonal activities and weather conditions.

Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, winter is often associated with the celebration of the Winter Solstice (冬至, dōngzhì), which is a significant time for family gatherings and traditional foods like dumplings. This character also links to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly write 冬 with the wrong number of strokes, such as using a different character like 亻 (person radical) instead of the correct form. Always ensure you use the full character 冬.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 冬

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Etymology of 冬

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Explanation

Winter is the season when ice (冫) is beneath your feet (夂).

Memory Hint

A man walking 夂 on ice ⺀

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 冬?

Decomposition of 冬

IDS Structure⿱夂⺀
冬Full Character
=
夂zhi3
top
⺀—
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 冬?

Write 冬

冬

Practice writing 冬 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 冬

冬 carries 5 distinct meanings. Below you'll find the patterns that show how it combines with other words, plus example sentences pulled directly from native usage.

Related grammar lessons6
Exercise 1 of 1

Complete the Sentence

现在已经是____天了，但北京还不太冷。

It is already winter, but Beijing is still not too cold.

Common Confusions with 冬

冬vs东
dōng

Same pronunciation with different meanings.

冬vs冻
dòng

Similar pronunciation but different meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "winter"?

or

Example Sentences for 冬 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
有几类花园家具冬季必须存放在室内。

yǒu jī lèi huā yuán jiā jù dōng jì bì xū cún fàng zài shì nèi。

Some types of garden furniture must be stored inside in the winter.
2
她抱着两个用带有冬青枝叶图案的纸包装的盒子走了出来。

tā bào zháo liǎng gè yòng dài yǒu dōng qīng zhī yè tú àn de zhǐ bāo zhuāng de hé zǐ zǒu le chū lái。

She came out with two packages wrapped in holly-sprigged paper.
3
冬天要保护好树木以防冻坏.

dōng tiān yào bǎo hù hǎo shù mù yǐ fáng dòng huài.

Trees should be well protected from the cold during winter.
4
冬季来游泳的人很多，泳池人满为患。

dōng jì lái yóu yǒng de rén hěn duō， ， yǒng chí rén mǎn wéi。

During winter, many people swim and the pool is crowded.
5
冬季天短，有些人会变得抑郁消沉。

dōng jì tiān duǎn， ， yǒu xiē rén huì biàn dé yì yù xiāo。

When the days shorten in winter some people suffer depression.
6
那是晚冬阳光明媚的一天，温度只有零上几度。

nà shì wǎn dōng yáng guāng míng mèi de yī tiān， ， wēn dù zhī yǒu líng shàng jī。

It's a sunny late winter day, just a few degrees above zero.
7
那是个寒冷的夜晚，入冬已有多日。

nà shì gè hán lěng de yè wǎn， ， rù dōng yǐ yǒu duō。

It was a cold evening, winter well underway.
8
冬季会让人感觉疲乏无力。

dōng jì huì ràng rén gǎn jué pí fá wú lì。

Winter weather can leave you feeling fatigued and tired.
9
如果不去动的话，冬萝卜会在春天开花结籽。

rú guǒ bù qù dòng de huà， ， dōng luó bǔ huì zài chūn tiān kāi huā jié。

If unused, winter radishes run to seed in spring.
10
冬天的突然降临让铁路和航空运输系统陷入混乱。

dōng tiān de tū rán jiàng lín ràng tiě lù hé háng kōng yùn shū xì tǒng xiàn rù hùn luàn。

The sudden onset of winter caused havoc with rail and air transport.

Cultural Notes for 冬

💡Did you know?

In Chinese culture, winter (冬) is associated with the Chinese New Year, which typically falls between late January and early February. Many traditions, such as family reunions and special meals, are celebrated during this time.

🏮Cultural insight

In Chinese culture, winter is often associated with the celebration of the Winter Solstice (冬至, dōngzhì), which is a significant time for family gatherings and traditional foods like dumplings. This character also links to the traditional Chinese lunar calendar.

Word Family of 冬

Compounds21
终zhong1end
图tu2diagram
疼teng2(it) hurts
咚dong1onomatopoetic, a thumping sound
氡dong1radon
佟Tong2surname
峂
柊zhong1holly
泈
螽zhong1katydid
庝
昸
炵
笗
終zhong1end; finally, in the end
苳
鉖
鮗
鴤
鼕dong1the sound of drums
鼨
Words Containing This Character19
冬天dōngtiānwinter
冬dōngrat-a-tat鼕
冬季dōngjìwinter
冬眠hibernation
冬至Winter Solstice, 22nd of the 24 solar terms 二十四節氣|二十四节气 22nd December-5th January
寒冬wintry
冬瓜white gourd
过冬to get through the winter過冬
冬奥会Winter Olympics冬奧會
冬青holly
严冬severe winter嚴冬
立冬Lidong or Start of Winter, 19th of the 24 solar terms 二十四節氣|二十四节气 7th-21st November
隆冬midwinter
越冬to overwinter
初冬early winter
春夏秋冬the four seasons
冬衣winter clothes
忍冬honeysuckle
冬令winter
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 终 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 冬

One common phrase is '冬暖夏凉' (dōng nuǎn xià liáng), which means 'warm in winter and cool in summer.' It describes a comfortable living environment throughout the seasons. Such phrases often express seasonal characteristics.