頓

Phono-semantic compound:

頁 (“head”) — semantic element, suggesting bowing or prostration.

屯 (둔 / zhūn, tún) — phonetic element.

Originally meant to bow the head to the ground; later extended to ideas of suddenness, pauses, and countable instances.

頓首 (돈수) — to bow the head, a humble salutation in letters

頓悟 (돈오) — sudden enlightenment (esp. in Chan/Seon Buddhism)

一頓飯 (일돈반) — one meal

頓然 (돈연) — suddenly, abruptly

冒頓 (모돌) — Modu, ruler of the Xiongnu

Readings:

Normally read 돈 (don) in Korean.

Read 둔 (dun) in compounds like 두둔 (斗頓), meaning “to defend, to shield.”

Read 돌 (dol) when used in the name of the Xiongnu ruler Modu Chanyu (冒頓單于), following classical commentary noting the pronunciation as close to 毒.

Old Chinese reconstruction: [tu:ns] (approximate).