TongTong
Sign in

灵通 (líng tōng) — well-informed (about news, information); (of mind or method) quick, clever, effective

Definition

Means 'well-informed' (about news/info) or 'quick and effective' (of mind or method). 灵敏 is more about senses and reactions being sensitive/acute; 灵 alone overlaps but is broader.

adjective
well-informed (about news, information)(of mind or method) quickclevereffective

Examples

  • ，灵通。
    Tā zuò jì zhě duō nián, xiāo xi fēi cháng líng tōng.
    He has been a journalist for years and is very well-informed.
  • 灵通，。
    Zhè hái zi nǎo zi hěn líng tōng, xué shén me dōu hěn kuài.
    This kid's mind is very sharp; he learns everything quickly.
  • 灵通，。
    Zhè ge ruǎn jiàn chǔ lǐ shù jù bàn fǎ hěn líng tōng, xiào lǜ gāo le hěn duō.
    This software's method of processing data is very effective, and efficiency has greatly improved.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

灵língclever
通tōngthorough

“灵” as clever and “通” as thorough together describe well-informed, quick understanding.

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 靈; 灵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
霝
霝líng靈líng
Same sound today

This note describes the traditional form 靈, not the simplified 灵: 霝 gives the sound, and 玉 (jade) is the meaning part.

Open 灵 →

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
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Personality & Traits

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.