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• dong
  dong

  noun

  a deep sound like that of a large bell.
• dông
  dông

  noun

  the standard monetary unit of Vietnam, divided into 10 hào or 100 xu

dong

¹ American  

[dawng, dong] / dɔŋ, dɒŋ /

noun

1. a deep sound like that of a large bell.

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dong ² American  

[dawng, dong] / dɔŋ, dɒŋ /

noun

• dong
  plural

1. the basic monetary unit of Vietnam: replaced the southern piaster and the northern dong in 1978.

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dong ³ American  

[dawng, dong] / dɔŋ, dɒŋ /

noun

Slang: Vulgar.

1. penis.

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dong ¹ British  

/ dɒŋ /

noun

1. the deep reverberating sound of a large bell

2. informal a heavy blow

3. a slang word for penis

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verb

1. (intr) (of a bell) to make a deep reverberating sound

2. informal (tr) to strike or punch

dông ² British  

/ dɒŋ /

noun

1. the standard monetary unit of Vietnam, divided into 10 hào or 100 xu

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• dong
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of dong¹

First recorded in 1880–90; imitative; see ding-dong

Origin of dong²

First recorded in 1820–25; from Vietnamese đồng “copper”

Origin of dong³

First recorded in 1890–95; origin uncertain

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dong

"I have suddenly become very rich. I am a billionaire now," said the retired shop owner, counting in Vietnamese dong.

From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026

The first thing you notice walking up to a dai pai dong, one of Hong Kong's signature open-air street food stalls, is the smoke.

From Salon ● May 15, 2024

The cosmetics brand famous for its doorstep slogan "Ding dong, Avon calling!" is about to open physical stores in the UK for the first time.

From BBC ● Nov. 13, 2023

“I’ve always had fun dong this. I can’t believe I get to do music as a career. That’s crazy,” Swift told her audience on Monday.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2023

Now it is a McDonald’s restaurant with a big Chinese sign that says mai dong lou—“wheat,” “east,” “building.”

From "The Joy Luck Club" by Amy Tan

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