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通电话 (tōng diàn huà) — to make a phone call; to speak on the phone (formal/emphasising connection)

Definition

Formal way to say 'make a phone call' (通 = connect). Emphasizes the connection being established, more formal than 打电话, and separable: 通电话 / 通了电话 / 通了两次电话.

verb
to make a phone callto speak on the phone (formal/emphasising connection)

Examples

  • 通电话。
    Wǒ men měi tiān wǎn shàng dōu tōng diàn huà.
    We talk on the phone every evening.
  • 。
    Wǒ gēn tā tōng guò yí cì diàn huà.
    I've spoken with him on the phone once.
  • ，通电话。
    Nǐ fāng biàn de shí hou, qǐng gěi wǒ tōng diàn huà.
    Please call me when you have time.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

通tōngconnect
电话telephone
电diànelectric话huàspeech
偏正Modifier + head

通 connects the line, and 电话 refers to the telephone; the whole means to make a call.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 電; 电 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
雨雨yǔrain
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn電diàn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

For the traditional form 電, 雨 (rain) sits with 申, read shēn and meaning lightning.

Open 电 →

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 話; 话 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yánword
Sound part声符shēngfú
𠯑
𠯑𠯑話huà
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

In the traditional form 話, 言 relates to words and 𠯑 gives the sound; the simplified 话 is a shorthand, so its right side is not that sound part.

Open 话 →
Appears in
Phones & Telecom

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