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通讯 (tōng xùn) — communications (the field or system); news report, dispatch

Definition

通讯 covers two senses: the 'communications' field/system (e.g. 通讯设备) and a written 'news dispatch'. More technical than 信息 or 消息; vs 交通, 通讯 is signals/media, 交通 is moving people or goods.

noun
communications (the field or system)news reportdispatch
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 通讯。
    Zhè ge gōng sī de tōng xùn shè bèi fēi cháng xiān jìn.
    This company's communications equipment is very advanced.
  • 通讯。
    Zhè piān tōng xùn bào dào le zuì xīn de kē jì jìn zhǎn.
    This dispatch reports the latest technological developments.
  • 通讯。
    Tā men zhī jiān de tōng xùn yì zhí hěn pín fán.
    Communication between them has always been frequent.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

通tōngcommunicate/send
讯xùnnews/message

通 conveys sending or making information pass, while 讯 is the news or message, so the word means sending news or a dispatch.

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 訊; 讯 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
言言yán
Sound part声符shēngfú
卂
卂xùn訊xùn
Same sound today

The traditional form 訊 combines 言 (words) with 卂 as a sound part; the simplified 讯 is a shorthand.

Open 讯 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 6HSK 2.0 Level 5Media & NewsPhones & Telecom5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

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