流传

• Pinyin: liú chuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 流 = 氵(water) + 㐬 (streaming) — to flow; 传 = 亻(person) + 专 (concentrate) — to pass on

Meaning

To spread; to circulate; to be passed down. For stories, customs, or ideas to be transmitted from person to person or generation to generation.

Used for the spreading of stories, legends, customs, songs, or cultural knowledge over time. Unlike 传播 (which emphasizes active dissemination), 流传 suggests natural, organic spreading, often through oral tradition. Frequently used with 民间 (folk/among the people) or 至今 (until now).

Examples

1. 这个故事在民间流传了几百年。 This story has been passed down among the people for hundreds of years.
2. 很多古老的习俗一直流传到现在。 Many ancient customs have been passed down to the present.
3. 关于这座山，流传着许多美丽的传说。 There are many beautiful legends circulating about this mountain.

Usage Guide

Context: culture, history, storytelling

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 这首歌在年轻人中广泛流传。(This song is widely circulated among young people.)
• 古人的智慧一直流传至今。(The wisdom of the ancients has been passed down to the present.)

Don't Say

• 这个消息在网上流传 — for news spreading online, use 传播 or 扩散 instead; 流传 implies longer-term, organic transmission

Origin & History

流 means 'to flow' and 传 means 'to transmit.' Together they describe something flowing from person to person like water, being passed along naturally.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal