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通俗 (tōng sú) — popular, accessible, easy to understand; common, everyday

Definition

通俗 describes language, writing, or culture that is easy for ordinary people to understand and enjoy. Unlike 普通 (ordinary, average), it emphasizes accessibility over commonness; unlike 浅显, it implies broad popular appeal rather than just simplicity.

adjective
popularaccessibleeasy to understandcommoneveryday

Examples

  • 通俗，。
    Zhè běn shū de yǔ yán hěn tōng sú, shì hé dà jiā kàn.
    The language of this book is very accessible, suitable for everyone.
  • 通俗。
    Tā xǐ huan kàn tōng sú wén huà lèi de jié mù.
    He likes to watch popular culture programs.
  • 通俗，“”。
    Yòng tōng sú de huà lái shuō, jiù shì "shú néng shēng qiǎo".
    In everyday terms, it's 'practice makes perfect'.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéCoordinate

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

通tōnggeneral/accessible
俗súeveryday/common

通 means general or accessible and 俗 means everyday or common, so something is easy for ordinary people to understand.

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 →

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
亻Written in full as人rénperson
Sound part声符shēngfú
谷
谷gǔ俗sú
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

俗 is built from 亻, a person, and 谷, which gives the sound; it refers to customs of people.

Open 俗 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9HSK 2.0 Level 6

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