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March 24, 2026
吞tūn(tun1)
The character 吞 (tūn) means 'to swallow' and is commonly used in both literal and figurative contexts. It can refer to the physical act of swallowing food or drink, as well as the metaphorical absorption of ideas or concepts. In various contexts, it can also imply taking in or annexing something.
Strokes7Radical口Frequency#3272DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, the act of swallowing food quickly may imply eagerness or greed, reflecting cultural attitudes towards food consumption. Traditional meals often emphasize savoring the flavors, making the speed of swallowing a significant cultural observation.
Memory Tip
Imagine a giant mouth (the character 吞) that swallows everything in sight. The top part resembles a person opening their mouth wide, while the bottom looks like a bowl filled with food, representing the act of swallowing. Connect the pronunciation 'tūn' with the image of the mouth 'tuning' into whatever it swallows.
Meanings of 吞
tūn(tun1)
1to swallow
2to take
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 吞
吞Simplified
7Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#3272Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 吞
Podcast: 吞
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AI Study Notes for 吞
Quick Contrast
吞 (tūn) vs 嚥 (yān) — use 吞 for general swallowing, while 嚥 is more specific to the act of swallowing in a medical context.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a giant mouth (the character 吞) that swallows everything in sight. The top part resembles a person opening their mouth wide, while the bottom looks like a bowl filled with food, representing the act of swallowing. Connect the pronunciation 'tūn' with the image of the mouth 'tuning' into whatever it swallows.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the tone when pronouncing 吞, as a mispronunciation can lead to confusion. This word is typically used in both formal and informal contexts but is more common in everyday conversation. Common collocations include 吞下 (swallow down) and 吞噬 (engulf).
HSK Study Tips
Although 吞 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it relates to other verbs of action and consumption, such as 吃 (chī - to eat) and 喝 (hē - to drink). Focus on recognizing its usage in compound phrases to enhance your understanding of context.
Cultural Note
In Chinese cuisine, the act of swallowing food quickly may imply eagerness or greed, reflecting cultural attitudes towards food consumption. Traditional meals often emphasize savoring the flavors, making the speed of swallowing a significant cultural observation.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 吞 with the similar-sounding 吃 (chī). For example, saying 吞饭 (tūn fàn) when they mean 吃饭 (chī fàn - to eat rice) is incorrect; 吞 is more specific to swallowing rather than general eating.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 吞
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Grammar Patterns of 吞
吞 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 3 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
他眼睛直视前方，加速超过了前面一辆慢____吞行进的大卡车。
He looked straight ahead and overtook a lumbering lorry.
Common Confusions with 吞
吞vs闻
wén
Similar shape with a different sound and meaning.
Exercise 1 of 1
Spot the Difference
Which character means "to swallow"?
or
Example Sentences for 吞 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
他眼睛直视前方，加速超过了前面一辆慢吞吞行进的大卡车。
tā yǎn jīng zhí shì qián fāng， ， jiā sù chāo guò le qián miàn yī liàng màn tūn tūn háng jìn de dà kǎ。
He looked straight ahead and overtook a lumbering lorry.
2
据未经证实的报道说，几个小村庄被泥石流吞没了。
jù wèi jīng zhèng shí de bào dào shuō， ， jī gè xiǎo cūn zhuāng bèi ní shí liú tūn méi。
There are unconfirmed reports of several small villages buried by mudslides.
3
我狼吞虎咽地吃着那一大块牛排。
wǒ láng tūn hǔ yān dì chī zháo nà yī dà kuài niú pái。
I chomped hungrily through the large steak.
4
有时他会倒嚼我们喂给他吃的食物，因为他无法吞咽。
yǒu shí tā huì dǎo jiáo wǒ mén wèi gěi tā chī de shí wù， ， yīn wéi tā wú fǎ tūn。
Sometimes he regurgitates the food we give him because he cannot swallow.
5
他还否认会试图吞并该国。
tā huán fǒu rèn huì shì tú tūn bìng gāi guó。
He also denied that he would seek to annex the country.
6
警察说他为了逃避逮捕就吞了一颗氰化物胶囊。
jǐng chá shuō tā wéi le táo bì dài bǔ jiù tūn le yī kē qíng huà wù jiāo náng。
The police say he swallowed a cyanide capsule to avoid arrest.
During the 1980s monster publishing houses started to swallow up smaller companies.
10
什么食物都要先嚼碎再吞咽。
shí mó shí wù dū yào xiān jiáo suì zài tūn yān。
Always chew food well before swallowing it.
Cultural Notes for 吞
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese cuisine, the act of swallowing food quickly may imply eagerness or greed, reflecting cultural attitudes towards food consumption. Traditional meals often emphasize savoring the flavors, making the speed of swallowing a significant cultural observation.
Word Family of 吞
Words Containing This Character20
吞tūnto take
吞噬to swallow
吞咽to swallow吞嚥
吞并to annex吞併
侵吞to annex
吞没to embezzle吞沒
忍气吞声to swallow one's anger忍氣吞聲
狼吞虎咽lángtūnhǔyànto gorge oneself狼吞虎嚥
吞食to devour
慢吞吞very slow
吞吐to take in and send out (in large quantities)
吞吞吐吐tūntūntǔtǔto hold sth back
独吞to hog獨吞
生吞活剥to swallow whole (idiom); fig. to apply uncritically生吞活剝
吞云吐雾to blow cigarette or opium smoke吞雲吐霧
私吞to embezzle
慢慢吞吞very slow
并吞to annex併吞
吞吃to devour
囫囵吞枣to lap up囫圇吞棗
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 吞 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 吞
You can say 吞下这块蛋糕 (tūn xià zhè kuài dàn gāo) meaning 'Swallow down this piece of cake.'
Not necessarily; it depends on the context. It can imply greed or haste if used metaphorically.
Yes, for example, 吞吞吐吐 (tūn tūn tǔ tǔ) means to hesitate in speech or to be evasive.
