通用 meaning in English

tōngyòng

to use anywhere, anytime (card, ticket etc); to be used by everyone (language, textbook etc)

HSK 5verb15 strokes

Meaning of 通用

Definitions from CC-CEDICT.

tōngyòng

to use anywhere, anytime (card, ticket etc)
to be used by everyone (language, textbook etc)
(of two or more things) interchangeable

How to use 通用

通用 describes things that work in many places or for many people, such as cards, languages, or parts. It also says two things can replace each other. Example: 这张卡在全国通用。(Zhè zhāng kǎ zài quánguó tōngyòng.) This card can be used nationwide.

通 (tōng) means to go through or connect, and 用 (yòng) means to use. Something 通用 can be used everywhere it goes, like a key that opens every door.

Common mistake: Learners sometimes use 通用 to mean simply "to use," as in 我通用电脑, but that job belongs to 使用 (shǐyòng) or 用 (yòng). 通用 is about wide applicability, not the act of using something.

通用 in example sentences

Real sentences from the Tatoeba project, with pinyin and English.

英yīng语yǔ是shì很hěn多duō国guó家jiā通tōng用yòng的de语yǔ言yán。

English is spoken in a lot of countries.

英yīng语yǔ现xiàn已yǐ成chéng为wéi世shì界jiè上shàng许xǔ多duō国guó家jiā的de通tōng用yòng语yǔ言yán了le。

English has now become the common language of several nations in the world.

英yīng语yǔ是shì一yī种zhǒng全quán世shì界jiè通tōng用yòng的de语yǔ言yán。

English is a language spoken all over the world.

在zài商shāng朝cháo，贝bèi朋péng为wèi通tōng用yòng货huò币bì。

Seashells were the legal tender in the Shang dynasty.

Stroke order for each character

Open a character for its meaning, components and more words.

通 tōng · to go through · 10 strokes

用 yòng · to use · 5 strokes

Related words

Words that share a character with 通用.

不用	bùyòng	need not
有用	yǒuyòng	useful
通过	tōngguò	to pass through; to get through; to adopt (a resolution); to pass (legislation)
使用	shǐyòng	to use; to employ
通知	tōngzhī	to notify; to inform
普通	pǔtōng	common; ordinary
作用	zuòyòng	to act on; to affect; action; function; activity
信用卡	xìnyòngkǎ	credit card
交通	jiāotōng	to be connected; traffic
常用	cháng yòng	in common usage
普通话	pǔtōnghuà	Putonghua; standard Mandarin
利用	lìyòng	to exploit; to make use of

Questions about 通用

What does 通用 mean?

通用 (tōngyòng) means "to use anywhere, anytime (card, ticket etc); to be used by everyone (language, textbook etc)" and is used as a verb.

How do you write 通用?

通用 is made of 2 characters: 通 (10 strokes), 用 (5 strokes). That is 15 strokes in total.

Is 通用 an HSK word?

Yes. 通用 is on the HSK 5 vocabulary list of the HSK 3.0 standard.

Can 通用 be used before a noun like an adjective?

Yes. It often works like an adjective before a noun, as in 通用语言 (tōngyòng yǔyán) common language or 通用汽车 (Tōngyòng Qìchē) General Motors. In this position it means general or universal.

How do I say two things are interchangeable with 通用?

Use a pattern like A和B可以通用 (A hé B kěyǐ tōngyòng), meaning A and B can be used interchangeably. This is common when talking about characters, words, or spare parts.