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串通 (chuàn tōng) — to collude, to conspire (with others)

Definition

Verb meaning to collude or conspire secretly with others for dishonest ends. Carries a clearly negative, fraudulent sense, unlike neutral 'collaborate'.

verb
to colludeto conspire (with others)

Examples

  • 串通。
    Tā men chuàn tōng qǐ lái qī piàn gōng sī.
    They ganged up to defraud the company.
  • 串通。
    Jīng lǐ yǔ kuài jì chuàn tōng zuò jiǎ zhàng.
    The manager and the accountant colluded to cook the books.
  • 串通。
    Zhè liǎng jiā gōng sī chuàn tōng tái gāo jià gé.
    These two companies conspired to raise prices.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

串chuànstring together
通tōngpass through

串 “string together” and 通 “pass through” combine to suggest secretly linking up with others.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

The shape 串 is a picture of objects strung together.

Open 串 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng通tōng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

通 pairs 辶, a part associated with movement, with 甬, which gives the sound.

Open 通 →
Appears in
Crime & Police

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