Definitions
(verb)
to station (troops); to store up
(noun)
village
(adjective)
difficult
Etymology
Depicts a recently germinated plant. Based on the original meaning "sprout". The meaning later expanded to "gather", "guard", "station", and "village".
About
The character "屯" originated from the conceptual depiction of a sprout breaking through the soil, embodying ideas of difficulty and initial accumulation. Its contemporary structure is a stylized form that no longer decomposes into distinct functional components in modern analysis, though it visually hints at its vegetative origins. The early meaning associated with arduous growth expanded to include the gathering and storing of goods, as seen in the compound "囤积". Subsequently, it developed martial applications, referring to the stationing of soldiers in "屯兵", and later broadened to denote small villages or settlements, such as in "村屯", illustrating a semantic shift from agricultural beginnings to military and communal contexts.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
部队在山脚下安营屯兵。
这里以前是个屯垦戍边的地方。
他们在边境线上屯驻了重兵。
这个屯子里的居民都很热情。
农民们在地窖里屯了许多粮食。
政府下令屯粮以备不时之需。
他在电脑里屯了很多电影。
我们要为过冬屯一些蔬菜。