转告 (zhuǎn gào) — to pass on (a message), to relay (verbally)

Definition

转告 means to pass on a message by word of mouth to someone. Distinct from 转发, which is for written or digital messages (emails, posts).

verb

to pass on (a message)to relay (verbally)

转告。
Qǐng nǐ bǎ zhè ge xiāo xi zhuǎn gào gěi tā.
Please pass this message on to him.
转告，。
Wǒ yǐ jīng zhuǎn gào tā le, ràng tā míng tiān lái.
I've already passed word to him; told him to come tomorrow.
转告？
Nǐ zhuǎn gào tā nà jiàn shì le ma?
Did you tell her about that matter?

Compound word

构词法gòucífǎ

偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

转 gives passing on and 告 gives telling, so the word means telling something by passing it on.

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 轉; 转 is its simplified writing.

車專轉

Meaning part形符xíngfú

車車jūcarriage

Sound part声符shēngfú

專

專zhuān轉zhuǎn

Same sound today

The traditional form 轉 combines 車, a carriage, with 專 as a sound part; the simplified 转 is a later shorthand.

Two or more meaningful parts placed together so that their meanings combine into a new one.

The origin is unclear: one theory sees 告 as 壴 (a decorated drum) above 口 (an open mouth), while another sees a tongue sticking out of 口.

Appears in