Chinese word

洞

Pronunciation

Pinyindòng

Meaning

  • nounhole

Example

这个洞很深，我看不见底。zhè ge dòng hěn shēn wǒ kàn bú jiàn dǐ

This hole is very deep, and the bottom is out of sight.

Illustration for 洞 (hole)

More examples

山洞里发现了古老的壁画。shān dòng lǐ fā xiàn le gú lǎo de bì huà

Ancient murals were discovered inside the mountain cave.

Core concept

A hollow opening that leads into or through solid material, ranging from a small break to a space large enough to enter.

Common phrases

  • 洞口dòng kǒu

    entrance to a cave

  • 山洞里shān dòng lǐ

    inside a mountain cave

Similar words

孔kǒng: A small, often round hole made in an object, usually with a tool or machine.
洞穴dòng xué: A large natural hollow in the ground or rock that people or animals may enter.
坑kēng: A deep, narrow pit or hollow in the ground, often related to digging or mining.
窟窿kū lóng: A small opening, dent, or tear on an object's surface.

Definition in Chinese

指物体表面或内部的孔隙或穿通处，大小不定，从细小孔洞到可以进入的洞穴都可称为洞。zhǐ wù tǐ biǎo miàn huò nèi bù de kǒng xì huò chuān tōng chù dà xiǎo bú dìng cóng xì xiǎo kǒng dòng dào ké yǐ jìn rù de dòng xué dōu kě chēng wéi dòng

Word origin

洞 (dòng, "hole") is formed from 氵 (shuǐ, "water"), which supplies the meaning link, and 同 (tóng, "same"), which supplies the pronunciation.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often picture a large natural space when they hear this word, but Chinese applies it to much smaller openings too, so size modifiers carry important information.

Other meanings

  • cavenoun
  • cavitynoun

Opposites

Related words

  • 洞口dòng kǒuentrance to a cavenoun
  • 洞穴dòng xuécavernnoun

Word lists with this word