頓
suddenly, immediately, in a hurry, arrange, stay in place, bow, kowtow
Readings
On'yomi
- トン
- トツ
Kun'yomi
- にわか.に
- とん.と
- つまず.く
- とみ.に
- ぬかずく
Meaning
頓 centers on a sudden, immediate action or change, often with a sense of abruptness or urgency. The meanings 'arrange', 'stay in place', 'bow', and 'kowtow' are less common and may represent extended or specialized uses, but the core idea is something happening all at once.
Most common words using 頓
20 of 29- 頓挫とんざ
setback; deadlock; standstill; impasse; miscarriage
- 頓着とんちゃく
being concerned about or mindful of
- 整頓せいとんN1
orderliness; put in order; tidying up; arranging neatly
- 頓ととんと
completely
- 頓珍漢とんちんかん
absurdity; contradiction; incoherence; irrelevance
- 頓とみ
sudden; abrupt; unexpected
- 頓服とんぷく
dose of medicine to be taken only once; medicine ordered for a single use
- 頓にとみに
suddenly; all at once; rapidly
- 頓馬とんま
idiot; fool; dope
- 停頓ていとん
deadlock; standstill; stalemate; set-back; abeyance
- 停頓状態ていとんじょうたい
standstill; deadlock; stalemate; doldrums; stagnant conditions
- 嵌頓かんとん
incarceration (e.g. of a hernia); strangulation
- 整理整頓せいりせいとん
keeping things tidy and in order
- 無頓着むとんちゃく
indifferent; unconcerned; nonchalant; unmindful; inattentive; careless
- 素っ頓狂すっとんきょう
wild; freakish; madcap; crazy; hysterical
- 閉口頓首へいこうとんしゅ
being at a complete loss as to what to do; being at one's wit's end; being at a loss for an answer
- 陶朱猗頓の富とうしゅいとんのとみ
great wealth; very wealthy person
- 頓呼法とんこほう
apostrophe (figure of speech)
- 頓悟とんご
sudden enlightenment
- 頓才とんさい
wit
Study
Etymology
頓 combines 屯 (which can suggest gathering or stopping) with 頁 (head), possibly indicating a sudden lowering of the head or a decisive action. The exact historical development is uncertain.
Meaning mnemonic
Imagine a person (頁, head) suddenly stopping (屯, gathering/stopping) to bow or kowtow in a hurry. The abrupt motion captures the core idea of suddenness.
Reading mnemonic
For トン, picture a ton of bricks falling suddenly: ton -> トン, and the heavy impact makes you bow immediately.