Definitions

dòng (noun) cave; hole
dòng (numeral) zero (when spelling out numbers)

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. represents the meaning and represents the sound.

Semantic: Phonetic:

About

The character 洞 is a phono-semantic compound, with the water radical 氵 on the left indicating its semantic category and the component 同 on the right providing the phonetic value. The radical suggests the original meaning related to water, specifically a swift current or deep pool. Over time, the sense shifted from the water itself to the physical cavities, such as grottos or underground holes, formed by water erosion. Consequently, 洞 now commonly denotes a cave or a hole.

Etymology Hide

Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

这个山非常深。

Zhège shāndòng fēicháng shēn.

This cave is very deep.

穴里住着蝙蝠。

Dòngxué lǐ zhùzhe biānfú.

Bats live in the cave.

衣服上有个破

Yīfú shàng yǒu gè pò dòng.

There is a hole in the clothes.

他发现了一个树

Tā fāxiànle yī gè shù dòng.

He discovered a tree hole.

悉真相需要时间。

Dòngxī zhēnxiàng xūyào shíjiān.

To understand the truth requires time.

这个漏必须尽快修补。

Zhège lòudòng bìxū jǐnkuài xiūbǔ.

This loophole must be repaired as soon as possible.

河水穿过岩流向大海。

Héshuǐ chuānguò yán dòng liú xiàng dàhǎi.

The river flows through the cave to the sea.

通过这个小,你能看到外面的世界。

Tōngguò zhège xiǎo dòng, nǐ néng kàndào wàimiàn de shìjiè.

Through this small hole, you can see the outside world.