长途

• Pinyin: cháng tú
• Hanzi breakdown: 长 = simplified form of 長, originally depicting long hair; 途 = 辶 (movement) + 余 (phonetic), meaning road or path

Meaning

Long-distance. Describes travel, communication, or transportation covering a great distance.

Most commonly appears in compounds like 长途汽车 (long-distance bus), 长途电话 (long-distance call), and 长途旅行 (long-distance trip). Can function as an adjective modifying nouns or as a noun referring to long-distance travel itself.

Examples

1. 坐长途汽车去那个城市大概要八个小时。 Taking a long-distance bus to that city takes about eight hours.
2. 长途旅行以后，大家都觉得很累。 After the long-distance trip, everyone felt very tired.
3. 以前打长途电话特别贵。 Long-distance phone calls used to be very expensive.

Usage Guide

Context: travel, transportation, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 长途飞行以后要注意休息。(Rest well after a long-distance flight.)
• 这趟长途列车明天早上到。(This long-distance train arrives tomorrow morning.)

Don't Say

• 从客厅走到厨房是长途 (Don't use 长途 for short indoor distances — it specifically refers to travel between cities or regions)

Origin & History

长 means long; 途 means road or journey. Together they describe a lengthy journey or distance.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal