传

• Pinyin: chuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 传 = 亻(person) + 专 (specialized, phonetic component); simplified from 傳

Meaning

To pass; to transmit; to spread. Conveys the action of transferring something from one person or place to another.

Used broadly for passing objects, spreading information, transmitting diseases, or handing down traditions. Commonly appears in compounds like 传播, 传说, 传统. Can also mean to summon someone in formal contexts.

Examples

1. 请把这本书传给下一个同学。 Please pass this book to the next classmate.
2. 这个消息很快就传开了。 This news spread very quickly.
3. 妈妈把做菜的方法传给了我。 Mom passed her cooking methods down to me.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, communication

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 请帮我把这个文件传过去。(Please help me pass this document over.)
• 这种手艺已经传了好几代了。(This craft has been passed down for several generations.)

Don't Say

• 传我一个苹果 (Don't use 传 for physically handing over nearby objects — use 递 instead; 传 implies passing over a distance or through intermediaries)

Origin & History

Simplified from 傳. Left component 亻(person) + 專 (specialized), suggesting a person passing along something specific.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal