普通

tōng

Traditional: 普通

#1605 of 5,000 Core 5000

Translation

ordinary, common, average

Word origin

A compound of 普 (pǔ, universal, widespread) and 通 (tōng, to go through, common), describing what is widespread and so ordinary.

Origin
compound
Root
普 (pǔ, universal) + 通 (tōng, common)

Stroke order

Stroke order for 普

Stroke order for 通

Examples

He is just an ordinary worker.

This was a perfectly ordinary day.

yán

Mandarin is the official language of China.

I like a simple, ordinary life.

The food at this restaurant is rather average.

普通 (pǔ tōng) is an adjective meaning ordinary or common. It contrasts with 特别 (special) and appears in 普通话, the standard spoken form of Mandarin.

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This word is part of lesson 33.