沌 (dùn): (in 混沌) chaotic; muddled; primo…

Meanings

天地未分之前，一切混沌。

Tiāndì wèi fēn zhīqián, yíqiè hùndùn.

Before the world was formed, everything was in primordial chaos.

他的头脑一片混沌。

Tā de tóunǎo yípiàn hùndùn.

His mind was in a muddled, foggy state.

usage

Found only in 混沌, which names the formless primordial state of the universe and, by extension, a confused or muddled mind.

radical

氵 shuǐ

water

The three-drop water radical (left-side form of 水) suits the watery, undivided murk of primordial chaos in 混沌.

phonetic

屯 tún

to gather; store

Provides the reading dùn; its sense of things massed together fits the idea of everything jumbled in an undivided state.

沌 dùn