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通行 (tōng xíng) — to pass through, to go through (a road, area, etc.); to be in current use, to be generally accepted

Definition

通行 covers two senses: 'to pass through' (a road or area) and 'in current use / generally accepted'. For 'pass through', it focuses on access being allowed (like 通行证 'pass'); 经过 is simply moving past a place.

verb
to pass throughto go through (a road, area, etc.)to be in current useto be generally accepted

Examples

  • 通行。
    Zhè tiáo dào lù mù qián yǐ jīng huī fù tōng xíng le.
    This road has now reopened to traffic.
  • 通行。
    Zhè zhǒng shǒu jī zhī fù fāng shì zài quán shì jiè dōu tōng xíng.
    This mobile payment method is in use all over the world.
  • 。
    Jìn rù zhè ge qū yù xū yào bàn yì zhāng tōng xíng zhèng.
    To enter this area, you need to apply for a pass.

Origin

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.

通tōngthrough
行xínggo

通行 pairs 通 (through) and 行 (go), so something can go through or be generally used.

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.

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 →

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

  • 彳彳chì
  • 亍亍chù

The shape of 行 originally showed a street intersection, even on both sides. Later it became uneven, with 彳 on the left and 亍 on the right.

Open 行 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5Roads & Traffic

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