洞
dòng/tʊŋ⁵¹/
The English word "hole" is translated into Chinese as 洞 (dòng).
洞 refers to a through opening. Depending on the specific type of opening or the context, other terms may be more precise: 窟窿 is used for a hole, 孔洞 refers to a cavity, 漏洞 means a loophole and 缺口 describes a gap.
Meaning: a through opening (noun)
Which one should you use?
Adding the character 口 (mouth) to 洞 creates 洞口, which specifically refers to the entrance or the mouth of a hole or a cave.
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is dòng. The IPA is /tʊŋ⁵¹/.
Did you know?
- The character 洞 is used in the phrase 洞天福地, which refers to a 'grotto-heaven' or a hidden paradise. In Taoist mythology, these 'holes' are portals to spiritual realms.
- The character 洞 was originally formed by combining the radical for 'water' 水 and the phonetic component 同. This reflects an early association between 'holes' and water-filled cavities.
- In modern Chinese, the word 洞 has evolved beyond a physical opening to mean 'thorough' or 'complete', as seen in the word 洞察 meaning 'to see through' or 'to grasp clearly'.
Examples in context
- 這個桶有個洞。There's a hole in this bucket.This sentence is useful for describing a hole in a bucket using 洞.Tatoeba #9170865 by xjjAstrus, translation #60712 by CK
- 你的袜子上有个洞。There is a hole in your sock.This sentence is useful for describing a hole in a sock using 洞.Tatoeba #1878281 by sadhen, translation #18089 by Zifre
- 黑洞周圍的時間要流逝得慢得多。Time ticks by more slowly around a black hole.This sentence is useful for discussing a black hole using 洞.Tatoeba #8706830 by shou, translation #8705951 by Hybrid
- 王子在地上挖了一个洞。The prince dug a hole in the ground.
- 小狗掉进了一个坑。The puppy fell into a hole.
- 洞穴Cave
- 28 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Zihan and Wei are hiking in the woods.
- 梓涵 Zihan小心！地上有個洞。Xiǎoxīn! Dìshàng yǒu gè dòng.Be careful! There is a hole in the ground.
- 伟 Wei天哪，我差點踩進去了。Tiān nǎ, wǒ chàdiǎn cǎi jìnqù le.Oh my gosh, I almost stepped into it.
- 梓涵 Zihan這個洞看起來很深。Zhège dòng kàn qǐlái hěn shēn.This hole looks very deep.
- 伟 Wei我們繞道走吧。Wǒmen ràodào zǒu ba.Let's take a detour.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 洞, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 洞, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
