通道

• Pinyin: tōng dào
• Hanzi breakdown: 通 = to pass through; 道 = way, path — a passage, channel

Meaning

Passage; corridor; channel; pathway. A route or way through which something passes.

Physical and abstract uses: 安全通道 (emergency exit), 地下通道 (underground passage), 人行通道 (pedestrian walkway), 信息通道 (information channel), 绿色通道 (fast-track lane, priority channel). In airports: boarding corridor. In business: distribution channel. Versatile word for any kind of pathway or channel.

Examples

1. 紧急情况下请从安全通道撤离。 In case of emergency, please evacuate through the emergency exit.
2. 这个地下通道连接着地铁站和购物中心。 This underground passage connects the subway station to the shopping center.
3. 医院为急诊病人开通了绿色通道。 The hospital has opened a priority channel for emergency patients.

Usage Guide

Context: buildings, transport, business

Tone: practical

Do Say

• 请不要在通道里停留。(Please do not linger in the passageway.)
• 这是紧急通道，平时禁止通行。(This is an emergency passage, normally closed to traffic.)

Don't Say

• 普通的门不叫'通道'，叫'门口'或'入口' (A regular door isn't a 通道 — use 门口 or 入口; 通道 implies a corridor or pathway)

Origin & History

Compound of 通 (to pass through, connect) + 道 (way, path). Together they describe a way that allows passage.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal