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Kotomora

吞

swallow, absorb, annex, engulf

StatusJinmeiyōStrokes7

Readings

On'yomi

  • ドン
  • トン
  • テン

Kun'yomi

  • のむ

Meaning

吞 centers on taking something in completely and making it part of oneself: swallowing food, absorbing ideas, or annexing territory. The idea of engulfing extends this to overwhelming consumption.

Study

Etymology

吞 combines 天 (heaven/sky) and 口 (mouth), suggesting a mouth open wide like the sky to swallow something whole.

Meaning mnemonic

Picture a mouth (口) as vast as the sky (天) opening to swallow everything in one gulp. 吞 is to swallow, absorb, or engulf completely.

Reading mnemonic

For ドン, imagine a huge mouth swallowing a donut whole with a loud 'don' sound: don -> ドン, and the donut disappears into the vast mouth.