传递 (chuán dì) — to transmit; to pass on (information, objects, diseases, etc.)

Definition

A general word for passing information, objects, or even diseases from one person or place to another. More everyday than the technical 传输 (data/signals) and broader than 传达 (messages, orders, instructions).

verb
to transmitto pass on (information, objects, diseases, etc.)

Examples

  • 传递。
    Tā yòng shǒu jī bǎ zhào piàn chuán dì gěi wǒ.
    He sent the photo to me the photo via his phone.
  • 传递。
    Lǎo shī bǎ zhī shi chuán dì gěi xué shēng.
    The teacher passes on knowledge to the students.
  • 传递。
    Gǎn mào kě yǐ tōng guò kōng qì chuán dì.
    Colds can be transmitted through the air.

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chuánpass on
递dìhand over

传 = pass on, 递 = hand over; together they mean transmit or pass 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 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.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
辶Written in full as辵chuò
Sound part声符shēngfú
弟
弟dì递dì
Same sound today

递 is built from 辶 (written in full as 辵) and 弟; 辶 is the meaning part and 弟 is the sound part.

Open 递 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 5HSK 2.0 Level 5Communication & Speech

Browse more HSK 5 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.