Writing Balance Rule: The roof component (宀) must crown the top gracefully, while the lower section (疋) spreads outward with a stable base, ensuring vertical alignment down the center.
1. Meaning
to fix, to set, or to make definite
to subscribe to or book (tickets, goods)to congeal or coagulatedefinitely (literary)
VerbNeutral#action#decision#commerce
Sample Usage
我们已经定好时间了。
wǒmen yǐjīng dìng hǎo shíjiān le.
We have already fixed/settled the time.
我想订两张票。
wǒ xiǎng dìng liǎng zhāng piào.
I would like to book two tickets.
2. Sound
/[tiŋ⁵¹]/Tone: 51
定
dìngding4
|
++
`(51)
=dìng
Initial Consonant
d
Type: Unaspirated Alveolar
Sounds like: d sound like English 'd' in dog
Unaspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: No puff of air. Tissue remains still (sounds like English 't' in 'stop').
Tongue & Mouth Position: Tongue tip touches the alveolar ridge just behind the upper front teeth, releasing a gentle voiced stop without a puff of air.
Final Rhyme
ing
Vowel Group: -i vowel group
Sounds like: -ing rhymes with English 'ing' in sing
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'eeng'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T4 (51)
5 → 1 (51)
4th Tone (High-Falling)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and drops sharply to the bottom, similar to a firm English command word like 'STOP!' or 'DOWN!'.
Sandhi: When followed by another Tone 4 syllable, the Tone 4 of dìng becomes a half-falling tone (5 to 4 pitch drop) before shifting.
👂
Listening trap: Do not confuse it with dīng (Tone 1, high level), which stays high. dìng drops sharply like a command.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: Tone 4 is a sharp downward chop with your hand, like dropping an anchor to make something firm and steady.
3. Writing
Topology: Top-bottom · Strokes: 8 strokes
Writing Balance Rule: The roof component (宀) must crown the top gracefully, while the lower section (疋) spreads outward with a stable base, ensuring vertical alignment down the center.
4. Components
Radical宀 · Roof radical (roof or shelter)
Semantic Clue (形旁):宀 (indicates a sheltered structure or settled place)
Phonetic Clue (声旁):疋 (original sound: ding)
A roof (宀) placed over a resting or anchored footprint/leg (疋) means things are settled and fixed in place inside the house.
宀 roof
疋 foot/leg, providing the sound and base
Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
10· Phonetic Root: 定 (dìng)
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)
Origin: Originally combined a roof (宀) to represent a settlement or house and a phonetic/semantic element indicating a foot planted firmly on the ground, meaning to stop or settle.
Semantic Evolution: From settling down in a house to fixing dates, making decisions, and booking orders.
In ancient texts, it frequently meant to pacify a state or calm the populace.