Chinese word

通

Pronunciation

Pinyintōng

Meaning

  • verbconnect

Example

电话终于通了。diàn huà zhōng yú tōng le

The call finally connected.

Illustration for 通 (connect)

More examples

修好水管后，村里的水龙头终于通了。xiū hǎo shuí guǎn hòu cūn lǐ de shuǐ lóng tóu zhōng yú tōng le

After the water pipes were fixed, water finally flowed from the village faucets.

Core concept

A path or channel stays open between two sides, allowing movement, people, or information to pass through.

Common phrases

  • 通车tōng chē

    open to traffic

  • 打通电话dǎ tōng diàn huà

    get through on the phone

Similar words

接jiē: Picks up a phone call and talks with the caller.
联系lián xì: Gets in touch with someone by phone, letter, or another form of communication.

Definition in Chinese

从一处到另一处不中断地通过，也指人与人或信息之间建立起联系或连通。cóng yí chù dào lìng yí chù bù zhōng duàn dì tōng guò yě zhǐ rén yǔ rén huò xìn xī zhī jiān jiàn lì qǐ lián xì huò lián tōng

Word origin

通 (tōng, "to pass through") combines 辶 (chuò, "movement") + 甬 (yǒng, "a passage"), with 辶 suggesting movement and 甬 mainly supplying the sound.

Usage tips

  • English speakers may expect a separate verb for a call reaching another person, but Chinese uses this short verb for a line that works and for communication that succeeds.

Other meanings

  • communicateverb

Opposites

  • 堵住dǔ zhùblockverb

Related words

Word lists with this word