HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to pause
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to arrange
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to lay out
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to kowtow
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to stamp (one's foot)
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
at once
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
classifier for meals, beatings, scoldings etc: time, bout, spell, meal
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
顿
dùn
to pause; to bow; to arrange
HSK 4, q, 10 strokes, radical 页, rank #1219, Medium
dùn(dun4) T4
1to stop
2to pause
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March 24, 2026
顿(頓)dùn(dun4)
顿 (dùn) primarily means to stop or pause, often used in contexts where a brief interruption occurs. It can also refer to arranging or laying out something, and as a classifier, it denotes a specific number of meals, bouts, or scoldings, emphasizing frequency or intensity in actions.
Strokes10Radical页Frequency#1219DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, taking a moment to pause or stop (顿) can be seen as a way to show respect, especially during meals or conversations. This practice highlights the importance of mindfulness in social interactions.
Memory Tip
Imagine a chef (the radical '食' indicating food) suddenly stopping to arrange the dishes on the table. The sound 'dùn' resembles 'done,' as in 'done arranging the food,' creating a vivid picture of pausing to present a meal.
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AI Study Notes for 顿
Quick Contrast
停 (tíng) means to stop, but emphasizes a complete cessation of movement or action, while 顿 (dùn) suggests a brief pause or interruption. 断 (duàn) means to cut off or break, which implies a more permanent or decisive action compared to 顿 (dùn).
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a chef (the radical '食' indicating food) suddenly stopping to arrange the dishes on the table. The sound 'dùn' resembles 'done,' as in 'done arranging the food,' creating a vivid picture of pausing to present a meal.
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 顿 with other similar-sounding words. It is informal in some contexts, so it's best used in casual conversations rather than formal writing. Common collocations include '吃顿饭' (to have a meal) and '顿时' (suddenly), which helps clarify its usage.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 顿 connects with other verbs of action and pause, such as 停 (tíng, to stop). Focus on its various meanings and contexts, especially as a classifier, to enhance your understanding of similar terms.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, taking a moment to pause or stop (顿) can be seen as a way to show respect, especially during meals or conversations. This practice highlights the importance of mindfulness in social interactions.
Common Mistakes
Learners often misuse 顿 as a direct synonym for 停, leading to phrases like '顿下' instead of the correct '停下' (to stop). Remember, 顿 is used for pauses or specific instances, not general stops.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 顿
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Practice writing 顿 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 顿
顿 functions as a measure word. Place it between a number/demonstrative and the noun it counts (一本书, 这个人). Different categories of nouns require different measure words. It carries 9 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.
Then, startlingly, the back door was jerked open by Binton.
5
枪响了，比顿再次受伤。
qiāng xiǎng le， ， bǐ dùn zài cì shòu。
The gun was fired and Beaton was wounded a second time.
6
听到这番话，欣兰感到他内心的疑虑顿时消散了。
tīng dào zhè fān huà， ， xīn lán gǎn dào tā nèi xīn de yí lǜ dùn shí xiāo sàn。
When he heard these words, Shinran felt his inner doubts melt away.
7
目击证人称梅尔顿先生抽打了这匹马16鞭之多。
mù jī zhèng rén chēng méi ěr dùn xiān shēng chōu dǎ le zhè pǐ mǎ16 16 biān zhī。
Eye-witnesses claimed Mr Melton whipped the horse up to 16 times.
8
这两张唱片还包含了布里顿两首不甚知名的声乐套曲。
zhè liǎng zhāng chàng piàn huán bāo hán le bù lǐ dùn liǎng shǒu bù shèn zhī míng de shēng lè tào qū。
The two discs also contain two of Britten's lesser-known song-cycles.
9
他一直感到昏昏沉沉的，这是吃了一顿超级大餐的结果。
tā yī zhí gǎn dào hūn hūn chén chén de， ， zhè shì chī le yī dùn chāo jí dà cān de jié。
He had been feeling drowsy, the effect of an unusually heavy meal.
10
我们美餐了一顿，还喝了一瓶香槟。
wǒ mén měi cān le yī dùn， ， huán hē le yī píng xiāng。
We had a nice meal with a bottle of champagne.
Cultural Notes for 顿
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, taking a moment to pause or stop (顿) can be seen as a way to show respect, especially during meals or conversations. This practice highlights the importance of mindfulness in social interactions.
Word Family of 顿
Words Containing This Character20
顿dùnto stop頓
华盛顿Washington (name)華盛頓
顿时dùnshíimmediately頓時
整顿zhěngdùnto tidy up整頓
波士顿Boston, capital of Massachusetts波士頓
曼哈顿Manhattan island曼哈頓
克林顿Clinton (name)克林頓
停顿tíngdùnto halt停頓
安顿to find a place for安頓
休斯顿Houston休斯頓
牛顿Newton (name)牛頓
普林斯顿Princeton, New Jersey普林斯頓
马其顿Macedonia馬其頓
汉密尔顿Hamilton (name)漢密爾頓
华盛顿邮报Washington Post (newspaper)華盛頓郵報
希尔顿Hilton (hotel chain)希爾頓
博尔顿Bolton (name)博爾頓
温斯顿Winston (name)溫斯頓
霍顿Hotton, Holden, Wharton, Houghton etc (name)霍頓
顿悟a flash of realization頓悟
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 顿 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 顿
Some synonyms for 顿 (dùn) include 停 (tíng), which means 'to stop', and 暂停 (zàntíng), meaning 'to pause'. Depending on the context, different synonyms may be more appropriate, so understanding the nuances is important.
You should use 顿 (dùn) when you want to convey a more nuanced pause or arrangement, often in a more literary or formal context. 停 (tíng) is more straightforward for 'stop'. For example, in a narrative, using 顿 can add dramatic effect.
顿 (dùn) has several meanings in Chinese, including 'to stop', 'to pause', and 'to arrange'. It can also refer to the act of kowtowing or stamping one's foot. The context in which it is used can change its specific meaning.
To use 顿 (dùn) in a sentence, you might say something like '他顿了顿，想了想' (Tā dùnle dùn, xiǎngle xiǎng), which means 'He paused for a moment, thought about it.' This shows how the character can indicate a brief stop or hesitation.
You can say '我们吃了一顿饭' (Wǒmen chīle yī dùn fàn), meaning 'We had a meal.'
No, 顿 can also refer to pauses in actions or as a classifier for scoldings and other occurrences.
顿 emphasizes a brief pause or interruption, while 停 indicates a complete stop.
