How to Write 砘 (dùn) — Meaning “Stone roller”

Picture a stone (石) being used to roll over and 'dun' (屯, like a dull thud) the ground. Imagine a heavy stone roller flattening the earth, making a 'dun-dun' sound as it moves.

Write the left radical 石 first with three strokes: horizontal, downward left-slant, then the mouth shape. The right part 屯 starts with a horizontal stroke, then a vertical hook, and ends with a vertical turn — keep the right side slightly narrower than the left.

砘 (dùn) means 'stone roller' for farming, while 矶 (jī) is a rock or jetty near water, and 矸 (gān) refers to waste rock or gangue in mining. Visually, 砘 has 屯 on the right, 矶 has 几, and 矸 has 干 — each changes the meaning and pronunciation.

砘 is a farming term found in northern Chinese dialects, referring to a stone roller pulled by animals to press soil. It appears in words like 砘子 (stone roller) and 砘地 (to roll the ground), but is rare in modern urban speech — more common in historical or rural contexts.

Common words containing 砘 include: 砘子 (dùn zi) — Stone roller; 砘地 (dùn dì) — To roll the ground; 砘车 (dùn chē) — Stone roller cart.