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笼统 (lǒng tǒng) — vague, general, lacking in detail

Definition

笼统 (lǒngtǒng) means a statement or description is vague and general, lacking specifics — usually a neutral criticism, not careless like 含糊. Closer to 概括 but negative: 概括 highlights a useful overview, 笼统 criticizes missing detail.

adjective
vaguegenerallacking in detail

Examples

  • 笼统，。
    Tā de huí dá tài lǒng tǒng le, méi yǒu jù tǐ shuō míng.
    His answer was too vague; he didn't explain specifically.
  • 笼统，。
    Zhè fèn bào gào xiě dé bǐ jiào lǒng tǒng, xū yào bǔ chōng shù jù.
    This report is written rather generally; it needs supplementary data.
  • 笼统。
    Bú yào yòng zhè me lǒng tǒng de yǔ yán miáo shù wèn tí.
    Don't describe the problem in such vague language.

Origin

Single-morpheme word
构词法gòucífǎ
联绵liánmiánBound pair

Two characters that only ever appear together, spelling one ancient two-syllable word.

笼lóng
统tǒng

笼 and 统 carry no separate meanings here; as a pair they name a broad, vague sense.

Sound-only characters

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 籠; 笼 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
𥫗Written in full as竹zhú
Sound part声符shēngfú
龍
龍lóng籠lóng
Same sound today

The traditional form 籠 is built from 竹 (bamboo) and 龍, which gives the sound. The simplified 笼 is a later shorthand.

Open 笼 →

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 統; 统 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
糸糸mì
Sound part声符shēngfú
充
充chōng統tǒng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 統 uses 糸 as a meaning part and 充 as a sound part; the simplified 统 is a later shorthand, so this story is about 統, not about 统's parts.

Open 统 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9

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