转告

• Pinyin: zhuǎn gào
• Hanzi breakdown: 转 = 车 + 专, to redirect/pass along; 告 = 牛 (ox) + 口 (mouth), to inform or announce

Meaning

To pass on a message; to relay; to convey (what someone else said). Telling a third party what someone else communicated.

Used when you relay information received from person A to person B. 请转告他... (please tell him on my behalf...). Implies acting as a messenger. Common in polite requests and formal communication. Different from 告诉 (to tell directly): 转告 always involves an intermediary.

Examples

1. 请你帮我转告王老师，我今天因为生病不能来上课。 Please pass on the message to Teacher Wang that I can't come to class today because I'm ill.
2. 他让我转告你，明天的会议时间改到下午三点。 He asked me to tell you that tomorrow's meeting has been moved to three o'clock in the afternoon.
3. 妈妈让我转告你，她今晚会晚些回家。 Mum asked me to let you know she'll be home a bit later tonight.

Usage Guide

Context: everyday, workplace, family

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 如果你见到他，请帮忙转告他给我打个电话。(If you see him, please pass on the message for him to give me a call.)
• 我代表全组成员，转告经理我们的请求。(On behalf of all group members, I am relaying our request to the manager.)

Don't Say

• 把'转告'用于直接当面告知对方信息 (Don't use 转告 when you are telling someone something directly — it specifically means passing along information from a third party; use 告诉 for direct communication)

Origin & History

From 转 (to pass along/redirect) and 告 (to inform, 牛 ox + 口 mouth — traditionally, important news was announced by the slaughter of an ox), together meaning 'to redirect information to someone else'.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal