叮叮当当 (dīng dīng dāng dāng) — (onomatopoeia) ding-dong; jingling; clanking

Definition

Onomatopoeia for metallic ringing or clanking — bells, metal pipes, pots and pans banging together. Often reduplicated as a set phrase to describe continuous clanging sounds.

onomatopoeia
ding-dongjinglingclanking

Examples

  • 叮叮当当，。
    Yuǎn chù chuán lái dīng dīng dāng dāng de líng shēng, hǎo xiàng shì sòng bào de zì xíng chē lái le.
    From a distance came the jingling of a bell, as if the newspaper delivery bicycle had arrived.
  • 叮叮当当，。
    Chú fáng lǐ dīng dīng dāng dāng xiǎng gè bù tíng, bù zhī mā ma zài máng shén me.
    There was a constant clanking in the kitchen; I wonder what mom was busy with.
  • ，叮叮当当。
    Tā qiāo zhe tiě guǎn zi, fā chū dīng dīng dāng dāng de shēng xiǎng.
    He tapped the iron pipe, producing a clanking sound.

Origin

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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng叮dīng
Same sound today

叮 combines 口, the mouth, with 丁, which gives the sound.

Open 叮 →

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
口口kǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng叮dīng
Same sound today

叮 combines 口, the mouth, with 丁, which gives the sound.

Open 叮 →

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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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 當; 当 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
田田tiánfield
Sound part声符shēngfú
尚
尚shàng當dāng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 當 combines 田 (field) with 尚; the evidence describes fields facing each other.

Open 当 →

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