How to Write 屯 (tún) — Meaning “to station (troops); to store up; village”

Picture a small plant (屮) growing under a flat roof or storage shelf (the top horizontal line). This helps you remember that 屯 means to store up or station, like putting things under cover.

The stroke order is: horizontal, then vertical hook (curving left), then a short left-falling stroke, and finally a short right-falling stroke. A common mistake is making the top horizontal too long; keep it short and let the lower part extend down.

屯 has a horizontal stroke on top, while 屮 is just the sprout shape without any top line. 屰 is like an upside-down sprout with a bottom horizontal line, and it means reverse or disobey. Visually, 屯 has four strokes, 屮 has three, and 屰 also has three but a different layout.

屯 appears in words like 屯兵 (station troops), 屯积 (hoard), and 屯子 (village). It is often used in historical or economic contexts, such as describing military garrisons or stored supplies. The character also appears in many Chinese place names, like 屯溪.

Common words containing 屯 include: 屯兵 (tún bīng) — to station troops; 屯积 (tún jī) — to hoard; to store up; 屯子 (tún zi) — village; hamlet.