Definitions

dòng cave; cavern
tóng name of a mountain
tóng variant of 峒[tóng]

Etymology phono-semantic

mountain

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character is a phono-semantic compound: it combines the semantic radical (shān, 'mountain') with the phonetic component (tóng). The mountain radical indicates the meaning relates to mountainous topography. When pronounced dòng, the character refers to a cave, grotto, or deep mountain ravine. The pronunciation tóng is historically associated with specific mountain names or territorial designations. In this way, links a mountain semantic category with a phonetic marker to denote particular geological formations or place names.