通天 (tōng tiān) — (of ability) all-powerful, matchless; (of degree) exceedingly high, sky-high; having direct access to the highest authorities or top leaders

Definition

As an attributive (通天的本领/贡献), it means 'unmatched, sky-high' — hyperbole for extreme ability or degree. As a predicate, 通天人物 means someone with direct access to top leaders.

verb
(of ability) all-powerfulmatchless(of degree) exceedingly highsky-highhaving direct access to the highest authorities or top leaders

Examples

  • 通天，。
    Tā zì rèn wéi yǒu tōng tiān de běn lǐng, qí shí bú guò shì gè pǔ tōng rén.
    He thinks he has all-powerful abilities, but in reality he's just an ordinary person.
  • 通天，。
    Zhè jiàn àn zi shè jí tōng tiān rén wù, yì bān rén gēn běn chā bú shàng shǒu.
    This case involves someone with top-level connections; ordinary people simply can't get involved.
  • 通天，。
    Tā duì zhè cì huó dòng zuò chū le tōng tiān de gòng xiàn, wú rén néng jí.
    He made an exceedingly great contribution to this event, unmatched by anyone.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

通tōngreach through
天tiānheaven

通 reaches through 天, giving the idea of touching the sky.

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
大大dà
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng天tiān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape comes from a frontal standing man 大 with a head; 天 pairs 大 with 丁 for sound.

Open 天 →

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