传统

• Pinyin: chuán tǒng
• Hanzi breakdown: 传 = 亻(person) + 专 (specialised, phonetic); 统 = 糹(thread/system) + 充 (fill, phonetic)

Meaning

Tradition; traditional. Refers to customs, practices, or values passed down through generations.

Used both as a noun (a tradition) and as an adjective (traditional). Covers cultural customs, arts, food, clothing, and values. 传统节日 (traditional festivals) and 传统文化 (traditional culture) are very common collocations.

Examples

1. 春节是中国最重要的传统节日。 The Spring Festival is the most important traditional holiday in China.
2. 他的爷爷非常传统，坚持每天练习书法。 His grandfather is very traditional and insists on practising calligraphy every day.
3. 这家餐厅以做传统川菜而出名。 This restaurant is famous for making traditional Sichuan cuisine.

Usage Guide

Context: culture, family, history

Tone: respectful

Do Say

• 我们应该尊重和保护传统文化。(We should respect and protect traditional culture.)
• 过年包饺子是我们家的传统。(Making dumplings at New Year is our family tradition.)

Don't Say

• 用'传统'形容人时要小心语气 — 有时听起来像批评某人保守或落伍 (Be careful using 传统 to describe a person — it can sound like you're calling them old-fashioned or conservative)

Origin & History

传 (pass on/transmit) + 统 (system/lineage) — together meaning 'what is passed down through the generations'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal