咚

dōng
冬 + 口

Definitions

dōng (onomatopoeia) (onom.) boom (of a drum); knock (on the door)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 冬 represents the sound.

Semantic: 口 Phonetic: 冬

About

咚 (dōng) is an onomatopoeic character that replicates a heavy, echoing, or resonant sound , like the beat of a large drum, heavy footsteps, or an object hitting a hollow surface. It is a phonosemantic compound: the left element 口 (kǒu, "mouth") is a semantic radical commonly used to mark characters that represent sounds, interjections, or vocal imitations, rather than physical objects. The right element 冬 (dōng, "winter") has no semantic connection to the season here; it serves solely as a phonetic component, indicating the exact pronunciation. The character evokes a dull, rhythmic thump, often repeated to convey continuous striking.

Example Sentences Hide

敲门声咚咚响。

Qiāo mén shēng dōng dōng xiǎng.

The knocking sound goes thump thump.

他咚地一声跳下水。

Tā dōng de yī shēng tiào xià shuǐ.

He jumped into the water with a splash.

心跳咚咚地加快。

Xīn tiào dōng dōng de jiā kuài.

The heartbeat speeds up thumping.

鼓声咚咚，节奏鲜明。

Gǔ shēng dōng dōng, jié zòu xiān míng.

The drum sound is thumping, with a clear rhythm.

远处传来咚咚的敲门声。

Yuǎn chù chuán lái dōng dōng de qiāo mén shēng.

From afar, comes the thumping sound of knocking.

他突然听到咚的一声，吓了一跳。

Tā tū rán tīng dào dōng de yī shēng, xià le yī tiào.

He suddenly heard a thud and was startled.

每当夜深人静时，总能听到咚咚的心跳声。

Měi dāng yè shēn rén jìng shí, zǒng néng tīng dào dōng dōng de xīn tiào shēng.

Whenever the night is deep and people are quiet, I can always hear the thumping sound of my heartbeat.

咚咚的鼓声仿佛在催促着战士们前进。

Dōng dōng de gǔ shēng fǎng fú zài cuī cù zhe zhàn shì men qián jìn.

The thumping drum sound seems to be urging the soldiers to advance.

Related Characters

Component: 冬

图 终 疼 佟 氡 螽 終 峂 柊 泈 鼕

Component: 口

中 和 可 后 如 同 只 知 高 问 向 或 加 合

Example Words

叮咚 咕咚 咚咚 黑咕隆咚