Stroke order, etymology and audio for every word.Start learning
顿 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
顿
dùn
to stop
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to pause
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to arrange
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to lay out
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to kowtow
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to stamp (one's foot)
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
at once
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
classifier for meals, beatings, scoldings etc: time, bout, spell, meal
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to pause; to bow; to arrange
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
dùn(dun4)dun T4
1to stop
2to pause
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
顿(頓)dùn(dun4)
顿 (dùn) primarily means to stop or pause, often used in contexts where a brief interruption occurs. It can also refer to arranging or laying out something, and as a classifier, it denotes a specific number of meals, bouts, or scoldings, emphasizing frequency or intensity in actions.
Strokes10Radical页Frequency#1219DifficultyMedium
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, taking a moment to pause or stop (顿) can be seen as a way to show respect, especially during meals or conversations. This practice highlights the importance of mindfulness in social interactions.
Memory tip
Imagine a chef (the radical '食' indicating food) suddenly stopping to arrange the dishes on the table. The sound 'dùn' resembles 'done,' as in 'done arranging the food,' creating a vivid picture of pausing to present a meal.
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI study notes for 顿
Quick Contrast
停 (tíng) means to stop, but emphasizes a complete cessation of movement or action, while 顿 (dùn) suggests a brief pause or interruption. 断 (duàn) means to cut off or break, which implies a more permanent or decisive action compared to 顿 (dùn).
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 顿 with other similar-sounding words. It is informal in some contexts, so it's best used in casual conversations rather than formal writing. Common collocations include '吃顿饭' (to have a meal) and '顿时' (suddenly), which helps clarify its usage.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 顿 connects with other verbs of action and pause, such as 停 (tíng, to stop). Focus on its various meanings and contexts, especially as a classifier, to enhance your understanding of similar terms.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 顿 as a direct synonym for 停, leading to phrases like '顿下' instead of the correct '停下' (to stop). Remember, 顿 is used for pauses or specific instances, not general stops.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 顿
Premium — Locked
Tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 顿, say it back, see your pitch against the model voice, and earn XP towards mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Jason looks at what you watch and listen to, the checkpoints you have cleared, our lessons and what you have been exploring, and explains 顿 through them.
Sign in free to make it personal. New accounts start with 200 AI credits.
How well do you know 顿?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 顿 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
顿 = 页 + 屯. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 顿
IDS Structure⿰屯页
顿Full character
=
屯tun2
left
页ye4
right
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 顿?
How to say to stop in Chinese
“to stop” in Chinese is顿dùn
顿 (dùn) primarily means to stop or pause, often used in contexts where a brief interruption occurs. It can also refer to arranging or laying out something, and as a classifier, it denotes a specific number of meals, bouts, or scoldings, emphasizing frequency or intensity in actions.
When to use 顿
Learners often confuse 顿 with other similar-sounding words. It is informal in some contexts, so it's best used in casual conversations rather than formal writing. Common collocations include '吃顿饭' (to have a meal) and '顿时' (suddenly), which helps clarify its usage.
顿 or something close to it
停 (tíng) means to stop, but emphasizes a complete cessation of movement or action, while 顿 (dùn) suggests a brief pause or interruption. 断 (duàn) means to cut off or break, which implies a more permanent or decisive action compared to 顿 (dùn).
What learners get wrong
Learners often misuse 顿 as a direct synonym for 停, leading to phrases like '顿下' instead of the correct '停下' (to stop). Remember, 顿 is used for pauses or specific instances, not general stops.
Write 顿
顿
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 顿 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 顿
顿 functions as a measure word. Place it between a number/demonstrative and the noun it counts (一本书, 这个人). Different categories of nouns require different measure words. It carries 9 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.
Some synonyms for 顿 (dùn) include 停 (tíng), which means 'to stop', and 暂停 (zàntíng), meaning 'to pause'. Depending on the context, different synonyms may be more appropriate, so understanding the nuances is important.
You should use 顿 (dùn) when you want to convey a more nuanced pause or arrangement, often in a more literary or formal context. 停 (tíng) is more straightforward for 'stop'. For example, in a narrative, using 顿 can add dramatic effect.
顿 (dùn) has several meanings in Chinese, including 'to stop', 'to pause', and 'to arrange'. It can also refer to the act of kowtowing or stamping one's foot. The context in which it is used can change its specific meaning.
To use 顿 (dùn) in a sentence, you might say something like '他顿了顿，想了想' (Tā dùnle dùn, xiǎngle xiǎng), which means 'He paused for a moment, thought about it.' This shows how the character can indicate a brief stop or hesitation.
You can say '我们吃了一顿饭' (Wǒmen chīle yī dùn fàn), meaning 'We had a meal.'
No, 顿 can also refer to pauses in actions or as a classifier for scoldings and other occurrences.
顿 emphasizes a brief pause or interruption, while 停 indicates a complete stop.
Jason Recommends
Not sure what to learn after 顿?
Jason picks three words from your level and explains why each one is worth your time next. It takes a free account so he knows what you already know.
A sample week, replayed. Every page you study lands here in the order you did it — your own replay starts with a free account.
