station · camp

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 屯 is associated with camping or stationing; its on-reading is とん.
• Basic usage: 駐屯(ちゅうとん) means stationing troops, while 駐屯地(ちゅうとんち) means a garrison or military base.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Being stationed and the place of stationing
  • 部隊が駐屯していた means troops were stationed there. 駐屯 describes troops remaining at a place.
  • 駐屯地へ戻った means returned to the garrison. Final 地 makes 駐屯地 refer to the location and adds ち to the reading.