How to Write 冬 (dōng) — Meaning “Winter”

Think of the top part (夂) as a person hunched against the cold, and the two dots below as snowflakes or ice cubes. This image helps you recall that winter is cold and you need to protect yourself.

Write the top part first: left-falling stroke, then horizontal, then right-falling. Finally, add the two dots from left to right. A common mistake is making the top part too wide or placing the dots too far apart — keep them centered and close together.

冬 has two dots under the radical 夂, while 夂 is just the radical alone (rarely used as a separate character). 处 has a vertical hook (卜) below the radical instead of dots, and means "place" or "to be at." Visually, 冬 is shorter and more compact.

冬 appears in common words like 冬天 (winter) and 冬季 (winter season), as well as the solar term 立冬 (Start of Winter). Culturally, winter is a time for rest and family gatherings, and the Winter Solstice (冬至) is an important festival for eating dumplings or tangyuan.

Common words containing 冬 include: 冬天 (dōng tiān) — Winter; 冬季 (dōng jì) — Winter; 立冬 (lì dōng) — Start of Winter (solar term).