童 (tóng) - Child & young

童Tone 2

tóng ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

童 · tóng

Child;

young;

juvenile;

servant;

boy;

virgin;

bare;

bald;

surname.

Childyoungjuvenile

Usage highlights

ChildFairy taleChildhoodChildlike heartChild laborBoy servant

Synonyms

  • 孩— child (more general term)
  • 幼— young, infant

Antonyms

  • 老— old, aged
  • 翁— old man

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • The child is playing (儿童在玩耍).
  • This is a fairy tale (童话).
  • He has a childlike heart (童心).
  • Child labor is prohibited (童工).

Collocations

  • Child(儿童)
  • Fairy tale(童话)
  • Childhood(童年)
  • Childlike heart(童心)
  • Child labor(童工)
  • Boy servant(书童)

Idioms

  • White-haired with a childlike heart(白头偕老, 童心未泯)
  • Return to childhood(返老还童)
  • Innocence of a child(童真无邪)
  • Child's words are fearless(童言无忌)
  • A herdboy points to the Apricot Forest(牧童遥指杏花村)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese culture, children symbolize purity, innocence, and potential.
  • The character appears in many classical texts emphasizing the virtue of maintaining a childlike heart.
  • Historically, '童' could refer to young servants or apprentices in wealthy households.

FAQ