传诵 (chuán sòng) — to be widely recited and praised; to be on everyone's lips (of a poem, story, or saying)

Definition

传诵 (chuánsòng) means a work is passed down by word of mouth and praised for generations — typically poems, sayings, or heroic deeds, often in 被 constructions. It is a literary, written register verb, not used for everyday speech.

verb
to be widely recited and praisedto be on everyone's lips (of a poem, story, or saying)
Easily confused

Examples

  • 传诵。
    Zhè shǒu shī bèi hòu rén guǎng wéi chuán sòng.
    This poem is widely recited and praised by later generations.
  • 传诵。
    Tā de yīng xióng shì jì zhì jīn réng zài mín jiān chuán sòng.
    His heroic deeds are still celebrated among the people to this day.
  • 传诵。
    Nà jù míng yán bèi yí dài dài rén chuán sòng zhe.
    That famous saying is recited and admired by generation after generation.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

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

传chuánspread
诵sòngrecite

传诵 pairs 传 (spread) and 诵 (recite), describing something passed around and recited by many.

Characters in this word

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 傳; 传 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rénman
Sound part声符shēngfú
專
專zhuān傳chuán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 傳 puts 人 (man) beside 專, which gives the sound; the simplified 传 is a later shorthand, and its parts are not the historical ones.

Open 传 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 誦; 诵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng誦sòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 誦 pairs 言 (words) with 甬 to give the sound; the simplified 诵 is a later shorthand.

Open 诵 →

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