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顿悟 (dùn wù) — to suddenly realize the truth; to attain (sudden) enlightenment

Definition

A sudden, almost instantaneous realization — used in both everyday contexts (figuring something out in a flash) and in Chan/Zen Buddhism for instant enlightenment.

verb
to suddenly realize the truthto attain (sudden) enlightenment

Examples

  • ，顿悟。
    Tā xiǎng le hěn jiǔ, zhōng yú dùn wù le zhè ge wèn tí.
    He thought for a long time and finally had a sudden realization about this problem.
  • 顿悟。
    Nà běn shū ràng wǒ dùn wù le rén shēng de dào lǐ.
    That book made me suddenly realize the truth about life.
  • ，顿悟。
    Dà shī shuō le yí jù huà, tú dì mǎ shàng dùn wù le.
    The master said one sentence, and the disciple instantly attained enlightenment.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

顿dùnsudden
悟wùawakening

The 顿 sudden and 悟 awakening meanings combine for a sudden realization.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 頓; 顿 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
頁頁yè
Sound part声符shēngfú
屯
屯tún頓dùn
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 頓 combines 屯, drawn as a kneeling person's head, with 頁, and expresses a bow or kowtow. The simplified 顿 replaces 頁 with 页.

Open 顿 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
忄Written in full as心xīn
Sound part声符shēngfú
吾
吾wú悟
Same sound today

悟 is made from 忄, a side form of 心, and 吾, which supplies the sound.

Open 悟 →
Appears in
Religion & BeliefThinking & Cognition

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