How to Write 囤 (dùn/tún) — Meaning “To store / To hoard / Bin”

Imagine a square box (囗) with a pile of grain inside — the 屯 part looks like a small stack with a seed (the top stroke) and a root (the bottom hook). So 囤 is like a "storehouse box" where you keep your supplies.

First write the outer box 囗 (left vertical, top horizontal, right vertical, bottom horizontal), then write the inner 屯 inside. A common mistake is to make the inner 屯 too big or to close the box before finishing the inner strokes. Keep the inner part centered and compact.

囤 has 屯 (store) inside, meaning a grain bin or hoarding. 囚 has 人 (person) inside and means "prisoner" — a person trapped in an enclosure. 四 is the number four; its inside is not related to storage and the top is open (two strokes forming a roof shape). Visually, 囤's inner part is more complex than 囚's simple "人" and is closed at the top unlike 四.

The character 囤 appears in words like 囤积 (tún jī, to hoard goods) and 粮囤 (liáng dùn, a grain bin). It is often used in news about hoarding supplies during emergencies or shortages. In Chinese culture, building a grain 囤 was historically vital for winter survival, so the character carries a practical, agricultural feel.

Common words containing 囤 include: 囤积 (tún jī) — To hoard / To stockpile; 囤聚 (tún jù) — To hoard; to stockpile.; 粮囤 (liáng dùn) — Grain bin; grain stack..