吞

See also: 呑

吞	U+541E, 吞 CJK UNIFIED IDEOGRAPH-541E

← 吝
[U+541D]

CJK Unified Ideographs

吟 →
[U+541F]

Translingual

Han character

吞 (Kangxi radical 30, 口+4, 7 strokes, cangjie input 一大口 (MKR), four-corner 2060₃, composition ⿱天口)

swallow
absorb, annex, engulf

Derived characters

𣵞

References

KangXi: page 177, character 18
Dai Kanwa Jiten: character 3329
Dae Jaweon: page 395, character 2
Hanyu Da Zidian (first edition): volume 1, page 585, character 4
Unihan data for U+541E

Chinese

simp. and trad.		吞
alternative forms		呑

Glyph origin

Characters in the same phonetic series (天) (Zhengzhang, 2003)

	Old Chinese
添	*tʰiːm
忝	l̥ʰiːmʔ, l̥ʰiːms
悿	*tʰiːmʔ
舔	*l̥ʰiːmʔ
菾	*diːm
天	*qʰl'iːn
吞	qʰl'iːn, qʰl'ɯːn
祆	*qʰliːn
蚕	zluːm, hl'iːnʔ

Etymology 1

Attested somewhat late (in Warring States period's texts).

Starostin reconstructs 吞 (OC *tʰən) derives it from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *dʱɨ̄n/ŋ (“to swallow, to drink”), whence also Tibetan འཐུང ('thung, “to drink”) & Lepcha [script needed] (thóng, “to drink”), which STEDT derives from Proto-Sino-Tibetan *m/s-tuŋ (“to drink, to suckle”); however, STEDT does not derive 吞 from or compare it to *m/s-tuŋ.

Schuessler (2007) compares it to several Kam-Tai words: Thai กลืน (glʉʉn), Ahom [script needed] (k(l)en), Saek [script needed] (tlɯɯn^A1), Proto-Kam-Sui *ʔdun, etc.

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Standard)
(Pinyin): tūn (tun¹)
(Zhuyin): ㄊㄨㄣ
(Chengdu, SP): ten¹
Cantonese (Jyutping): tan¹
Hakka (Sixian, PFS): thûn
Min Dong (BUC): tŏng
Min Nan
(Hokkien, POJ): thun
(Teochew, Peng'im): tung¹

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: tūn
  - Zhuyin: ㄊㄨㄣ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: tun
  - Wade–Giles: tʻun¹
  - Yale: twūn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: tuen
  - Palladius: тунь (tunʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰwən⁵⁵/
- (Chengdu)
  - Sichuanese Pinyin: ten¹
  - Scuanxua Ladinxua Xin Wenz: ten
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰən⁵⁵/
Cantonese
- (Standard Cantonese, Guangzhou)⁺
  - Jyutping: tan¹
  - Yale: tān
  - Cantonese Pinyin: tan¹
  - Guangdong Romanization: ten¹
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰɐn⁵⁵/
Hakka
- (Sixian, incl. Miaoli and Meinong)
  - Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: thûn
  - Hakka Romanization System: tun´
  - Hagfa Pinyim: tun¹
  - Sinological IPA: /tʰun²⁴/
Min Dong
- (Fuzhou)
  - Bàng-uâ-cê: tŏng
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰouŋ⁵⁵/
Min Nan
- (Hokkien)
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī: thun
  - Tâi-lô: thun
  - Phofsit Daibuun: twn
  - IPA (Xiamen): /tʰun⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Quanzhou): /tʰun³³/
  - IPA (Zhangzhou): /tʰun⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Taipei): /tʰun⁴⁴/
  - IPA (Kaohsiung): /tʰun⁴⁴/
- (Teochew)
  - Peng'im: tung¹
  - Pe̍h-ōe-jī-like: thung
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰuŋ³³/

Dialectal data

Variety	Location	edit 吞
Mandarin	Beijing	/tʰuən⁵⁵/
	Harbin	/tʰuən⁴⁴/
	Tianjin	/tʰuən²¹/
	Jinan	/tʰuẽ²¹³/
	Qingdao	/tʰuə̃²¹³/
	Zhengzhou	/tʰən²⁴/
	Xi'an	/tʰəŋ²¹/
	Xining	/tʰə̃⁴⁴/
	Yinchuan	/tʰuŋ⁴⁴/
	Lanzhou	/tʰũn³¹/
	Ürümqi	/tʰɤŋ⁴⁴/
	Wuhan	/tʰən⁵⁵/
	Chengdu	/tʰən⁵⁵/
	Guiyang	/tʰen⁵⁵/
	Kunming	/tʰuə̃⁴⁴/
	Nanjing	/tʰən³¹/ ～下去 /tʰun³¹/ 溫～水
	Hefei	/tʰən²¹/
Jin	Taiyuan	/tʰuəŋ¹¹/
	Pingyao	/tʰəŋ¹³/
	Hohhot	/tʰə̃ŋ³¹/
Wu	Shanghai	/tʰəŋ⁵³/
	Suzhou	/tʰən⁵⁵/
	Hangzhou	/tʰen³³/
	Wenzhou	/tʰø³³/ /tʰaŋ³³/ 慢～～
Hui	Shexian	/tʰʌ̃³¹/
Hui	Tunxi	/tʰin¹¹/
Xiang	Changsha	/tʰən³³/
Xiang	Xiangtan	/tʰən³³/
Gan	Nanchang	/tʰɛn⁴²/
Hakka	Meixian	/tʰun⁴⁴/
Hakka	Taoyuan	/tʰun²⁴/
Cantonese	Guangzhou	/tʰɐn⁵³/
	Nanning	/tʰɐn⁵⁵/
	Hong Kong	/tʰɐn⁵⁵/
Min	Xiamen (Min Nan)	/tʰun⁵⁵/
	Fuzhou (Min Dong)	/tʰouŋ⁴⁴/
	Jian'ou (Min Bei)	/tʰɔŋ⁵⁴/
	Shantou (Min Nan)	/tʰuŋ³³/
	Haikou (Min Nan)	/hun²³/

Middle Chinese: /tʰən/

Rime
Character	吞
Reading #	1/2
Initial (聲)	透 (6)
Final (韻)	痕 (53)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	I
Fanqie	吐根切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/tʰən/
Pan Wuyun	/tʰən/
Shao Rongfen	/tʰən/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/tʰən/
Li Rong	/tʰən/
Wang Li	/tʰən/
Bernard Karlgren	/tʰən/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	tūn
Expected Cantonese Reflex	tan¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*l̥ˤən/
(Zhengzhang): /*qʰl'ɯːn/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	吞
Reading #	2/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	tūn
Middle Chinese	‹ thon ›
Old Chinese	/*l̥ˁən/
English	to swallow
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	吞
Reading #	2/2
No.	12391
Phonetic component	天
Rime group	文
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	吞
Old Chinese	/*qʰl'ɯːn/

Definitions

吞

to swallow (to cause food, drink, etc. to pass from the mouth into the stomach)
囫圇吞棗／囫囵吞枣 ― húlúntūnzǎo ― Literally, “to swallow a jujube whole” > figuratively, "to accept without thinking; to read without understanding"
- 子胥出走，邊候得之。子胥曰：「上索我者，以我有美珠也。今我已亡之矣。我且曰子取吞之。」候因釋之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  子胥出走，边候得之。子胥曰：“上索我者，以我有美珠也。今我已亡之矣。我且曰子取吞之。”候因释之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Han Feizi, circa 2^nd century BCE
  Zǐxū chūzǒu, biānhòu dé zhī. Zǐxū yuē: “Shàng suǒ wǒ zhě, yǐ wǒ yǒu měizhū yě. Jīn wǒ yǐ wáng zhī yǐ. Wǒ qiě yuē zǐ qǔ tūn zhī.” Hòu yīn shì zhī. [Pinyin]
  When Tzŭ-hsü was making his escape, a frontier patrol caught him. Tzŭ-hsü said: "The authorities want me because they think I have a beautiful pearl. Now I have already lost it. But I will say that you have seized and swallowed it." Thereupon the patrol released him.
- 一蛇吞象，厥大何如？ [Classical Chinese, trad. and simp.]
  From: The Verses of Chu, 4^th century BCE – 2^nd century CE
  Yī shé tūn xiàng, jué dà hérú? [Pinyin]
  The snake that can swallow elephants — How big must it be?
- 吞舟之魚，碭而失水，則蟻能苦之。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  吞舟之鱼，砀而失水，则蚁能苦之。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Zhuangzi, circa 3^rd – 2^nd centuries BCE, translated based on James Legge's version
  Tūnzhōu zhī yú, dàng ér shīshuǐ, zé yǐ néng kǔ zhī. [Pinyin]
  If a fish that can swallow a boat be left dry by the flowing away of the water, then (even) the ants can trouble it.
to annex (territory, a country, etc.)
- 楚欲吞宋鄭而畏齊。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  楚欲吞宋郑而畏齐。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Guanzi, 5^th century BCE to 220 CE
  Chǔ yù tūn Sòng Zhèng ér wèi Qí. [Pinyin]
  Chu wanted to swallow / annex Song and Cheng yet feared Qi.
- 今秦者，虎狼之國也，兼有吞周之意；…… [Classical Chinese, trad.]
  今秦者，虎狼之国也，兼有吞周之意；…… [Classical Chinese, simp.]
  From: Zhanguo Ce, circa 5^th – 3^rd centuries BCE
  Jīn Qín zhě, hǔláng zhī guó yě, jiān yǒu tūn Zhōu zhī yì;...... [Pinyin]
  Now Qin, a state of tigers and wolves, is united around the idea of swallowing / annexing Zhou; [...]

Synonyms

(to swallow): 吞吃 (tūnchī)
(to annex):

edit

侵吞 (qīntūn)
吞噬 (tūnshì) (figurative)

併吞／并吞 (bìngtūn)
兼併／兼并 (jiānbìng)

包舉／包举 (bāojǔ) (literary)
吞併／吞并 (tūnbìng)

Compounds

Derived terms from 吞

依吞布拉克 (Yītūnbùlākè)
侵吞 (qīntūn)
半吐半吞
半吞半吐
吞刀吐火
吞吃 (tūnchī)
吞吐 (tūntǔ)
吞吐含蓄
吞吐量 (tūntǔliàng)
吞吞吐吐 (tūntūntǔtǔ)
吞噬 (tūnshì)
吞恨
吞服
吞炭
吞炭漆身
吞牛
吞舌
吞舟
吞金
吞食 (tūnshí)
天狗吞月
巴蛇吞象
布立吞族
急吞
慢吞吞 (màntūntūn)
慢慢吞吞
漆身吞炭
狼吞虎咽
狼吞虎噬
私吞 (sītūn)

茹泣吞悲
虎咽狼吞
蛇吞象
并吞
併吞／并吞 (bìngtūn)
吞佔／吞占
吞併／吞并 (tūnbìng)
吞刀刮腸／吞刀刮肠
吞剝／吞剥 (tūnbō)
吞劍／吞剑
吞吐其辭／吞吐其辞
吞噬細胞／吞噬细胞 (tūnshì xìbāo)
吞嚥／吞咽 (tūnyàn)
吞氣／吞气
吞沒／吞没 (tūnmò)
吞滅／吞灭
吞煙／吞烟
吞聲／吞声 (tūnshēng)
吞聲屏氣／吞声屏气
吞聲忍氣／吞声忍气
吞聲忍讓／吞声忍让
吞聲飲氣／吞声饮气
吞聲飲泣／吞声饮泣
吞舟之魚／吞舟之鱼
吞花臥酒／吞花卧酒
吞蝕／吞蚀
吞雲吐霧／吞云吐雾 (tūnyúntǔwù)
嚥苦吞甘／咽苦吞甘
囫圇吞棗／囫囵吞枣 (húlúntūnzǎo)
壯氣吞牛／壮气吞牛

忍氣吞聲／忍气吞声 (rěnqìtūnshēng)
打一個吞／打一个吞
服氣吞露／服气吞露
杜口吞聲／杜口吞声
氣吞山河／气吞山河
氣吞牛斗／气吞牛斗
氣忍聲吞／气忍声吞
活剝生吞／活剥生吞
溫吞吞／温吞吞
狼吞虎嚥／狼吞虎咽 (lángtūnhǔyàn)
獨吞／独吞 (dútūn)
生吞活剝／生吞活剥 (shēngtūnhuóbō)
網漏吞舟／网漏吞舟
聲吞氣忍／声吞气忍
臥雪吞氈／卧雪吞毡
虎踞鯨吞／虎踞鲸吞
蠶食鯨吞／蚕食鲸吞 (cánshíjīngtūn)
輕吞慢吐／轻吞慢吐
鉗口吞舌／钳口吞舌
雲吞／云吞 (yúntūn)
飲恨吞聲／饮恨吞声
飲氣吞聲／饮气吞声
飲泣吞聲／饮泣吞声
餓虎吞羊／饿虎吞羊
鯨吞／鲸吞
鯨吞虎噬／鲸吞虎噬
鶻崙吞棗／鹘仑吞枣
齧蘗吞針／啮蘗吞针
齧雪吞氈／啮雪吞毡

Etymology 2

simp. and trad.		吞
alternative forms		吴

Pronunciation

Mandarin
(Pinyin): Tiān, Tūn (Tian¹, Tun¹)
(Zhuyin): ㄊㄧㄢ, ㄊㄨㄣ

Mandarin
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: Tiān
  - Zhuyin: ㄊㄧㄢ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: Tian
  - Wade–Giles: Tʻien¹
  - Yale: Tyān
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Tian
  - Palladius: Тянь (Tjanʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰjɛn⁵⁵/
- (Standard Chinese)⁺
  - Hanyu Pinyin: Tūn
  - Zhuyin: ㄊㄨㄣ
  - Tongyong Pinyin: Tun
  - Wade–Giles: Tʻun¹
  - Yale: Twūn
  - Gwoyeu Romatzyh: Tuen
  - Palladius: Тунь (Tunʹ)
  - Sinological IPA ^(key): /tʰwən⁵⁵/

Middle Chinese: /tʰen/

Rime
Character	吞
Reading #	2/2
Initial (聲)	透 (6)
Final (韻)	先 (85)
Tone (調)	Level (Ø)
Openness (開合)	Open
Division (等)	IV
Fanqie	他前切
Reconstructions
Zhengzhang Shangfang	/tʰen/
Pan Wuyun	/tʰen/
Shao Rongfen	/tʰɛn/
Edwin Pulleyblank	/tʰɛn/
Li Rong	/tʰen/
Wang Li	/tʰien/
Bernard Karlgren	/tʰien/
Expected Mandarin Reflex	tiān
Expected Cantonese Reflex	tin¹

Old Chinese
(Baxter–Sagart): /*l̥ˤən/
(Zhengzhang): /*qʰl'iːn/

Baxter–Sagart system 1.1 (2014)
Character	吞
Reading #	1/2
Modern Beijing (Pinyin)	tiān
Middle Chinese	‹ then ›
Old Chinese	/*l̥ˁən/
English	(surname)
Notes for Old Chinese notations in the Baxter–Sagart system: * Parentheses "()" indicate uncertain presence; * Square brackets "[]" indicate uncertain identity, e.g. [t] as coda may in fact be -t or -p; Angle brackets "<>" indicate infix; * Hyphen "-" indicates morpheme boundary; * Period "." indicates syllable boundary.

Zhengzhang system (2003)
Character	吞
Reading #	1/2
No.	12388
Phonetic component	天
Rime group	眞
Rime subdivision	1
Corresponding MC rime	天
Old Chinese	/*qʰl'iːn/

Definitions

吞

a surname

Japanese

Kanji

吞

(“Jinmeiyō” kanji used for names)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Readings

On (unclassified): どん (don); とん (ton); てん (ten)
Kun: のむ (nomu, 吞む)

Korean

Hanja

吞 • (tan) (hangeul 탄, revised tan, McCune–Reischauer t'an)

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.

Vietnamese

Han character

吞: Hán Nôm readings: thôn, xôn

This term needs a translation to English. Please help out and add a translation, then remove the text {{rfdef}}.