通俗

• Pinyin: tōng sú
• Hanzi breakdown: 通 = 辶 + 甬 — common; 俗 = 亻 + 谷 — custom, folk

Meaning

Popular; common; easy to understand; colloquial.

Describes something accessible to ordinary people, not requiring specialized knowledge. Often used in 通俗易懂 (easy to understand). Can also refer to popular culture as opposed to highbrow art.

Examples

1. 好的科普文章应该通俗易懂，让普通读者也能看明白。 Good popular science articles should be easy to understand, so ordinary readers can comprehend them.
2. 他擅长把复杂的理论用通俗的语言讲清楚，所以学生都很喜欢他的课。 He excels at explaining complex theories in accessible language, which is why students love his classes.
3. 这本书走的是通俗路线，没什么学术价值但卖得很好。 This book takes a popular approach — it has no academic value but sells very well.

Usage Guide

Context: education, media, criticism

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 通俗易懂。(Easy to understand.)
• 通俗文化。(Popular culture.)

Don't Say

• 把'通俗'当贬义词用 (通俗 is neutral or positive — for 'vulgar' use 庸俗 or 低俗)

Origin & History

通 means common/universal, 俗 means custom/folk — commonly understood by folk.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal