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吞 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
吞
tūn
to swallow
HSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #3272, Hard
吞
tūn
to take
HSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #3272, Hard
吞
tūn
to absorb, to annex; to engulf; to swallow
HSK 6, v, 7 strokes, radical 口, rank #3272, Hard
tūn(tun1)tun T1
1to swallow
2to take
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March 24, 2026
吞tūn(tun1)
The character 吞 (tūn) means 'to swallow' and is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts. It can refer to the physical act of swallowing food or drink, as well as the metaphorical absorption of ideas or concepts. In various contexts, it can also imply taking in or annexing something.
Strokes7Radical口Frequency#3272DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In Chinese cuisine, the act of swallowing food quickly may imply eagerness or greed, reflecting cultural attitudes towards food consumption. Traditional meals often emphasize savoring the flavors, making the speed of swallowing a significant cultural observation.
Memory tip
Imagine a giant mouth (the character 吞) that swallows everything in sight. The top part resembles a person opening their mouth wide, while the bottom looks like a bowl filled with food, representing the act of swallowing. Connect the pronunciation 'tūn' with the image of the mouth 'tuning' into whatever it swallows.
Meanings of 吞
tūn(tun1)
1to swallow
2to take
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
Play it, then pick what 吞 means.
About 吞
吞Simplified
7Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3272Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 吞
Podcast: 吞
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AI study notes for 吞
Quick Contrast
吞 (tūn) vs 嚥 (yān) — use 吞 for general swallowing, while 嚥 is more specific to the act of swallowing in a medical context.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 吞, as a mispronunciation can lead to confusion. This word is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 吞下 (swallow down) and 吞噬 (engulf).
HSK Study Tips
Although 吞 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to other verbs of action and consumption, such as 吃 (chī - to eat) and 喝 (hē - to drink). Focus on recognizing its usage in compound phrases to enhance your understanding of context.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 吞 with the similar-sounding 吃 (chī). For example, saying 吞饭 (tūn fàn) when they mean 吃饭 (chī fàn - to eat rice) is incorrect; 吞 is more specific to swallowing rather than general eating.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 吞
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How well do you know 吞?
Example
Learning Lab
Knowing 吞 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.
吞 = 口 + 天. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 吞
IDS Structure⿱天口
吞Full character
=
天tian1
top
口kou3
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 吞?
How to say to swallow in Chinese
“to swallow” in Chinese is吞tūn
The character 吞 (tūn) means 'to swallow' and is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts. It can refer to the physical act of swallowing food or drink, as well as the metaphorical absorption of ideas or concepts. In various contexts, it can also imply taking in or annexing something.
When to use 吞
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 吞, as a mispronunciation can lead to confusion. This word is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 吞下 (swallow down) and 吞噬 (engulf).
吞 or something close to it
吞 (tūn) vs 嚥 (yān) — use 吞 for general swallowing, while 嚥 is more specific to the act of swallowing in a medical context.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 吞 with the similar-sounding 吃 (chī). For example, saying 吞饭 (tūn fàn) when they mean 吃饭 (chī fàn - to eat rice) is incorrect; 吞 is more specific to swallowing rather than general eating.
Write 吞
吞
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Practice writing 吞 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar patterns of 吞
吞 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. 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.
他眼睛直视前方，加速超过了前面一辆慢____吞行进的大卡车。
He looked straight ahead and overtook a lumbering lorry.
Common confusions with 吞
吞vs闻
wén
Similar shape with a different sound and meaning.
Exercise 1 of 1
Which one
Which one means “to swallow”?
or
Example sentences for 吞 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他眼睛直视前方，加速超过了前面一辆慢吞吞行进的大卡车。
tā yǎnjing zhíshì qiánfāng， jiāsù chāoguò le qiánmiàn yī liàng màn tūn tūn xíng jìn de dà kǎchē。
He looked straight ahead and overtook a lumbering lorry.
2
据未经证实的报道说，几个小村庄被泥石流吞没了。
jù wèijīng zhèngshí de bàodào shuō， jǐ gè xiǎo cūnzhuāng bèi ní dàn liú tūn méi le。
There are unconfirmed reports of several small villages buried by mudslides.
3
我狼吞虎咽地吃着那一大块牛排。
wǒ lángtūnhǔyàn dì chī zhe nà yī dà kuài niú pái。
I chomped hungrily through the large steak.
4
有时他会倒嚼我们喂给他吃的食物，因为他无法吞咽。
yǒushí tā huì dào jiáo wǒmen wèi gěi tā chī de shíwù， yīnwèi tā wúfǎ tūn yàn。
Sometimes he regurgitates the food we give him because he cannot swallow.
5
他还否认会试图吞并该国。
tā hái fǒurèn huì shìtú tūn bìng gāi guó。
He also denied that he would seek to annex the country.
6
警察说他为了逃避逮捕就吞了一颗氰化物胶囊。
jǐngchá shuō tā wèile táobì dàibǔ jiù tūn le yī kē qíng huà wù jiāonáng。
The police say he swallowed a cyanide capsule to avoid arrest.
