丁
usually supplies the sound ding/ting rather than meaning · Character component
usually supplies the sound ding/ting rather than meaning, with a background sense of a nail — something small, hard and driven in
The earliest graphs for 丁 show a nail seen from above, as a plain dot or small square — just the head. Later writing turned the nail sideways, so you see the flat head as a horizontal stroke and the shaft driving downward, which is exactly the modern shape 丁: a top bar and a hook hanging from it. In most of the characters that use it — 叮, 盯, 订, 灯, 顶 — 丁 is there for its sound, pairing with a meaning part like mouth, eye, speech, fire or head.
丁 at a glance
- Meaning
- usually supplies the sound ding/ting rather than meaning
- Strokes
- 2
- Characters
- 26
- Role
- Contributes sound
Characters with 丁 (22 of 26)
HSK 6 · 3
Beyond HSK · 14
Frequently asked questions
What does the component 丁 mean?
丁 means "usually supplies the sound ding/ting rather than meaning". In the characters that contain it, it contributes sound.
How many Chinese characters contain 丁?
26 characters in this dictionary contain 丁, including ones at HSK 3, HSK 5, HSK 6.
How many strokes does 丁 have?
丁 is written in 2 strokes.