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丁 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
丁Dīngsurname DingHSK 7, nr, 2 strokes, radical 一, rank #3663, Hard
丁Dīngfourth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shí tiān gān]HSK 7, nr, 2 strokes, radical 一, rank #3663, Hard
丁Dīngfourth in orderHSK 7, nr, 2 strokes, radical 一, rank #3663, Hard
丁Dīngletter "D" or roman "IV" in list "A, B, C", or "I, II, III" etcHSK 7, nr, 2 strokes, radical 一, rank #3663, Hard
丁DīngbutylHSK 7, nr, 2 strokes, radical 一, rank #3663, Hard
丁Dīngcubes (of food)HSK 7, nr, 2 strokes, radical 一, rank #3663, Hard
丁Dīngmale adult; robust, vigorous; 4th heavenly stemHSK 7, nr, 2 strokes, radical 一, rank #3663, Hard
丁Dīngancient Chinese compass point: 195°HSK 7, unknown, 2 strokes, radical 一, rank #3663, Hard
Dīng(Ding1) T1
  1. 1fourth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shí tiān gān]
  2. 2fourth in order
Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
丁Dīng(Ding1)

丁 (Dīng) primarily serves as a surname and represents the fourth of the ten Heavenly Stems in Chinese numerology. It is often used to indicate the fourth position in a list or sequence, similar to the letter 'D' in the English alphabet or the Roman numeral 'IV'. Additionally, it can denote cubes of food or refer to a male adult, emphasizing robustness and vigor.

Strokes2Radical一Frequency#3663DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

丁 is often used in traditional Chinese calendars and astrology, where the Heavenly Stems play a crucial role in determining auspicious dates and events. Its significance reflects the importance of numerology in Chinese culture.

Memory Tip

Imagine a strong, robust man (representing '丁') holding a giant cube of food. Visualize him standing at the fourth position in a line, wearing a 'D' badge on his chest. The character 丁 looks like a person standing upright, reflecting strength and order.

Meanings of 丁

Dīng(Ding1)
1fourth of the ten Heavenly Stems 十天干[shí tiān gān]
2fourth in order
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 丁

丁Simplified
2Strokes
一Radical
人名míngcíproper noun (pr.n.)Part of Speech
#3663Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L6HSK 3.0L7AdvancedTOCFLL5CEFRC2

Podcast: 丁

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Podcast: 丁

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AI Study Notes for 丁

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a strong, robust man (representing '丁') holding a giant cube of food. Visualize him standing at the fourth position in a line, wearing a 'D' badge on his chest. The character 丁 looks like a person standing upright, reflecting strength and order.

Usage Notes

When using 丁 as a surname, it is important to pronounce it correctly as 'Dīng' with a high level tone to avoid confusion with other characters. Be mindful of its specific contexts, such as its use in Chinese astrology or numerology, and avoid using it in informal contexts where other characters might be more appropriate.

HSK Study Tips

As an HSK 6 word, 丁 connects with other advanced vocabulary related to numerology, traditional Chinese culture, and food. Students should focus on its various meanings and how it is used in different contexts, particularly in formal writing or discussions about Chinese philosophy.

Cultural Note

丁 is often used in traditional Chinese calendars and astrology, where the Heavenly Stems play a crucial role in determining auspicious dates and events. Its significance reflects the importance of numerology in Chinese culture.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 丁 with similar-sounding characters like 丁 (Dīng) and 定 (Dìng). Make sure to differentiate them by context; for example, 丁 refers to the fourth Heavenly Stem, while 定 means 'to fix' or 'determine'.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 丁

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Etymology of 丁

Formation TypePictographic 象形
六书 ClassificationPictograph (象形字)~4% of characters
Explanation

Pictograph of a nail, which is now written as 釘.

Memory Hint

A nail

Learn more about Pictograph (象形字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 丁?

Decomposition of 丁

IDS Structure一
丁Full Character
=
一yi1
Exercise 1 of 1

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 丁?

Write 丁

丁

Practice writing 丁 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 丁

丁 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 8 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.

Related grammar lessons1
Exercise 1 of 2

Complete the Sentence

服务员，我要点一个宫保鸡____。

Waiter, I'd like to order kung pao chicken.

Example Sentences for 丁 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
差异在于，你们是英国血统，而我们是拉丁裔的。

chà yì zài yú， ， nǐ mén shì yīng guó xiě， tǒng ， ér wǒ mén shì lā dīng。

The difference is, you are Anglo-Saxons, we are Latins.
2
报纸使用了新词“丁克族”，即“双收入无子女”。

bào zhǐ shǐ yòng le xīn cí“ “ dīng kè”， zú“ ”， jí “ shuāng shōu rù”。

The newspaper used the neologism "dinks", Double Income No Kids.
3
起了疑心的爱好者揭发了这一勾当，警察在诺丁汉逮捕了一名男子。

qǐ le yí xīn de ài hǎo zhě jiē fā le zhè yī gōu dāng， ， jǐng chá zài nuò dīng hàn dài bǔ le yī míng nán。

Suspicious fans exposed the racket and police arrested a man in Nottingham.
4
他在丁格尔湾与海豚交流的时候特别开心。

tā zài dīng gé ěr wān yǔ hǎi tún jiāo liú de shí hòu tè bié kāi xīn。

He was so happy communing with the dolphin in Dingle Bay.
5
在诺丁汉我经历了自己在童话剧演出中最尴尬的时刻之一。

zài nuò dīng hàn wǒ jīng lì le zì jǐ zài tóng huà jù yǎn chū zhōng zuì gān gà de shí kè zhī yī。

I had one of my most embarrassing moments in panto in Nottingham.
6
他认为她和园丁有一腿。

tā rèn wéi tā hé yuán dīng yǒu yī tuǐ。

He reckons she's having it off with the gardener.
7
卡萝尔身材高大，黑发棕肤，是个有着拉丁风情的女子。

kǎ luó ěr shēn cái gāo dà， ， hēi fā zōng， fū ， shì gè yǒu zháo lā dīng fēng qíng de。

Carol is a tall, dark, Latin type of woman.
8
关于哈丁是个政治走狗的指控可能是个谣传。

guān yú hā dīng shì gè zhèng zhì zǒu gǒu de zhǐ kòng kě néng shì gè yáo chuán。

The charge that Harding was a political stooge may be a canard.
9
比加特·唐纳德，这家驻格拉斯哥的营销代理公司已赢得了两个爱丁堡的客户。

bǐ jiā tè· · táng nà， dé ， zhè jiā zhù gé lā sī gē de yíng xiāo dài lǐ gōng sī yǐ yíng dé le liǎng gè ài dīng bǎo de。

Biggart Donald, the Glasgow-based marketing agency, has won two Edinburgh accounts.
10
他从韦丁顿打电话过来时已在那儿呆了整整31个小时了。

tā cóng wéi dīng dùn dǎ diàn huà guò lái shí yǐ zài nà ér dāi le zhěng zhěng31 31 gè xiǎo shí。

He called from Weddington, having been there for 31 hours straight.

Cultural Notes for 丁

🏮Cultural insight

丁 is often used in traditional Chinese calendars and astrology, where the Heavenly Stems play a crucial role in determining auspicious dates and events. Its significance reflects the importance of numerology in Chinese culture.

Word Family of 丁

Compounds39
可ke3can
打da2dozen (loanword)
顶ding3apex
灯deng1lamp
厅ting1(reception) hall
订ding4to agree
宁Ning2old variant of 寧
盯ding1to watch attentively
予yu2(archaic) I
钉ding1nail
汀ting1bank, sandbar; beach, shore
叮ding1sting (of mosquito, bee etc)
亭ting2pavilion
酊ding1drunk, intoxicated
町ting1a raised path between fields
仃ding1lonely, solitary
庁
朾
玎ding1jingling, tinkling
疔ding1boil, carbuncle, ulcer
耵ding1earwax
虰ding1dragonfly
靪
饤
亊
圢
奵
帄
忊
甼
矴
糽
耓
艼
訂ding4to make an order; to draw up an agreement
釘ding1nail, spike
閅
頂ding3top, summit, peak; to carry on the head
飣
Words Containing This Character20
丁Dīngbutyl
马丁Martin (name)馬丁
拉丁Latin
布丁pudding (loanword)
拉丁美洲Latin America
丁丁Tintin, cartoon character
园丁gardener園丁
拉丁语Latin (language)拉丁語
补丁(software) patch補丁
拉丁文Latin (language)
丁香lilac (Syringia vulgaris)
拉丁舞Latin dance
尼古丁nicotine (loanword)
爱丁堡Edinburgh, capital of Scotland愛丁堡
沙丁鱼sardine (loanword)沙丁魚
奥斯丁Austin, Texas奧斯丁
一丁点a tiny bit一丁點
诺丁汉Nottingham (city in England)諾丁漢
丁磊Ding Lei (1971-), founder and CEO of NetEase 網易|网易[Wǎng​yì]
冷不丁suddenly
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 可 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 丁

丁 is the fourth of the ten Heavenly Stems, which are used in various aspects of Chinese astrology and calendars.