通信 meaning in English
to correspond (by letter, email etc); to send or receive messages through telecommunications
Meaning of 通信
Definitions from CC-CEDICT.
- to correspond (by letter, email etc)
- to send or receive messages through telecommunications
How to use 通信
通信 can mean writing letters back and forth with someone, or it can refer to telecommunications in general, as in 通信公司 (tōngxìn gōngsī, telecom company). For people, it often pairs with 和 or 跟. Example: 我们已经通信三年了。(Wǒmen yǐjīng tōngxìn sān nián le.) We have been writing to each other for three years.
通 (tōng) means to go through or connect, and 信 (xìn) means a letter or message. When messages get through from one person to another, you are communicating: 通信.
Common mistake: Learners sometimes treat 通信 as taking a direct object and say 我通信他, but the natural form is 我和他通信 (wǒ hé tā tōngxìn). Also keep 信 (xìn) in the fourth tone. Do not confuse it with 通知 (tōngzhī), which means to notify.
通信 in example sentences
Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.
Stroke order for each character
Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.
通 tōng · to go through · 10 strokes
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信 xìn · letter · 9 strokes
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Related words
Words that share a character with 通信.
| 相信 | xiāngxìn | to believe; to be convinced; to accept as true |
| 通过 | tōngguò | to pass through; to get through; to adopt (a resolution); to pass (legislation) |
| 信息 | xìnxī | information; news; message |
| 通知 | tōngzhī | to notify; to inform |
| 信号 | xìnhào | signal |
| 普通 | pǔtōng | common; ordinary |
| 信心 | xìnxīn | confidence; faith (in sb or sth) |
| 短信 | duǎnxìn | text message; SMS |
| 信用卡 | xìnyòngkǎ | credit card |
| 交通 | jiāotōng | to be connected; traffic |
| 普通话 | pǔtōnghuà | Putonghua; standard Mandarin |
| 信任 | xìnrèn | to trust; to have confidence in |
Questions about 通信
What does 通信 mean?
通信 (tōngxìn) means "to correspond (by letter, email etc); to send or receive messages through telecommunications".
How do you write 通信?
通信 is made of 2 characters: 通 (10 strokes), 信 (9 strokes). That is 19 strokes in total.
Is 通信 an HSK word?
Yes. 通信 is on the HSK 3 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.
What is the difference between 通信 and 联系?
联系 (liánxì) is a general word for getting in touch by any means, including calling or meeting. 通信 focuses on exchanging written messages or on telecommunications technology. In everyday speech, 联系 is more common for keeping in touch.
Is 通信 the same as 通讯?
They overlap a lot, and both can refer to communications technology. 通讯 (tōngxùn) also means a news report or dispatch, while 通信 is the usual word for writing letters to someone. In technical terms like 通信网络 (communication network), 通信 is now the standard choice.