灵通

• Pinyin: líng tōng
• Hanzi breakdown: 灵 = spirit, nimble; 通 = 辶 (movement) + 甬 (path) — connected, flowing through

Meaning

Well-informed; having good connections or access to inside information. Describes someone who is always in the know.

Colloquially used to describe people with wide social networks who can access information others cannot easily obtain. Carries an admiring or slightly envious tone, and is more informal in register.

Examples

1. 他消息灵通，公司的内部动向他往往比别人早知道好几天。 He’s always in the know—he often finds out about the company’s internal moves several days before everyone else.
2. 这位记者在政界人脉广泛，消息十分灵通，从不错过重要动态。 This reporter has extensive connections in political circles and is extremely well informed, never missing major developments.
3. 想了解市场最新动态，不如去问他，这方面他素来灵通。 If you want to know the latest market moves, ask him—he’s always in the know in this area.

Usage Guide

Context: social, business, everyday

Tone: informal

Do Say

• 他消息灵通，什么行业动态都能第一时间掌握。(He's very well-informed and always gets industry news first-hand.)
• 你怎么这么灵通？消息从哪里来的？(How are you always so in the know? Where do you get your information?)

Don't Say

• 用'灵通'指网络或通讯畅通 — 那种情况用'畅通'或'网络通畅' (Don't use 灵通 to describe good network connectivity — use 畅通 or 网络通畅 instead)

Origin & History

灵 (nimble, spirit) + 通 (connect, through) — nimble and connected, with information flowing freely.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal