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顿时 (dùn shí) — immediately, suddenly (used in narrative to describe an instant change of state following a specific event)

Definition

Written/narrative adverb for an instant change right after an event — combines 'suddenly' (like 忽然) with 'immediately' (like 立即), but is more literary than either. Use it in storytelling, not speech.

adverb
immediatelysuddenly (used in narrative to describe an instant change of state following a specific event)

Examples

  • ，顿时。
    Tīng le tā de huà, wǒ dùn shí míng bai le zhēn xiàng.
    After hearing his words, I immediately understood the truth.
  • ，顿时。
    Kàn dào kǎo shì chéng jì, tā dùn shí kū le chū lái.
    Upon seeing the exam results, she burst into tears.
  • ，顿时。
    Yí zhèn fēng chuī lái, tā dùn shí gǎn dào yí zhèn hán yì.
    A gust of wind blew, and he suddenly felt a chill.

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
时shítime

顿 suggests a sudden moment, and 时 means time, so the word describes something happening at once.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 時; 时 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
日日rìsun; day
Sound part声符shēngfú
之
之zhī時shí
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 時 pairs 日 (sun/day) with 之 as the part that gives the sound; the simplified 时 is not the form described.

Open 时 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 6Time (Abstract)

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