Chinese–EnglishWith examples

通

tōng · tong/tòng · tong

Same in simplified and traditional Chinese

HSK 2

Meaning

CC-CEDICT

tōng 通

  1. to go through
  2. to know well
  3. (suffix) expert
  4. to connect
  5. to communicate
  6. open
  7. to clear
  8. classifier for letters, telegrams, phone calls etc

tòng 通

  1. classifier for an activity, taken in its entirety (tirade of abuse, stint of music playing, bout of drinking etc)
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In a conversation

0:21 cartoon

Getting through

  1. Dengdeng

    我(wǒ)给(gěi)奶奶(nǎinai)打(dǎ)了(le)十次(shícì)电话(diànhuà)，都(dōu)打不通(dǎbutōng)。

    I called Grandma ten times and could not get through.

  2. Liangliang

    是不是(shìbùshì)手机(shǒujī)没电(méidiàn)了(le)？

    Maybe her phone is out of battery?

  3. Dengdeng

    不是(bùshì)，电话(diànhuà)是(shì)通(tōng)的(de)，可是(kěshì)她(tā)没(méi)接(jiē)。

    No, the line is connected, but she does not answer.

  4. Liangliang

    再(zài)打(dǎ)一次(yīcì)试试(shìshì)，也许(yěxǔ)能(néng)打通(dǎtōng)。

    Try once more. Maybe it will connect.

  5. Dengdeng

    通(tōng)了(le)！奶奶(nǎinai)说(shuō)她(tā)在(zài)我们(wǒmen)家(jiā)门口(ménkǒu)。

    Connected! Grandma says she is at our door.

  6. Liangliang

    那(nà)你(nǐ)快(kuài)去(qù)开门(kāimén)！

    Then hurry and open the door!

Tap a word for its meaning in this line. The characters’ voices are computer-generated.

In a sentence

2 examples
01

我(wǒ)们(men)跟(gēn)叔(shū)叔(shu)通(tōng)了(le)电(diàn)话(huà)。

We talked on the phone with our uncle.

Tatoeba: Chinese by LeviHighway · English by frpzzd · CC BY 2.0 FR. Simplified Chinese conversion; Pinyin added or corrected.

02

这(zhè)条(tiáo)小(xiǎo)路(lù)直(zhí)通(tōng)山(shān)顶(dǐng)，走(zǒu)起(qǐ)来(lái)很(hěn)轻(qīng)松(sōng)。

This small path leads straight to the top of the hill, and it's easy to walk.

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How to write

Stroke order & practice

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Mainland China stroke order, including traditional characters. Drawing sources & licenses.

Definitions adapted from CC-CEDICT, published by MDBG and its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Pinyin display and entry grouping have been adapted.

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