Common Meanings
1
dīng丁
The fourth of the ten Heavenly Stems, used to denote the fourth in a sequence or series. It is also used in idioms, such as '丁是丁，卯是卯,' which emphasizes being strict, clear, and unambiguous about responsibilities or distinctions.
做事情要丁是丁，卯是卯，不能马虎。
When doing things, you must be precise and meticulous, leaving no room for carelessness.
an adult man; a male individual (often used for counting people in a family or household).
王家有三丁，个个是好汉
The Wang family has three adult men, and each of them is a good fellow.
An individual, a person, or a member of a household, often used in the context of population counts, household members, or workforce.
今年我们家又添丁进口了，是个健康的小男孩。
This year, our family has added a new member (a baby boy), a healthy little boy.
A person engaged in a specific type of labor or service, often used as a suffix in compound words like 'gardener'.
这位园丁对花草悉心照料。
This gardener takes meticulous care of the flowers and plants.
2
zhēng丁
Onomatopoeia (zhēng zhēng) describing sounds like chopping wood, playing chess, or plucking a stringed instrument.
伐木丁丁，山谷回响。
The sound of chopping wood echoed in the valley.