普通话 (pǔtōnghuà) · Mandarin
普通话 (pǔtōnghuà) means “Mandarin; standard Chinese”. It is written with 3 characters: 普 (widespread) + 通 (to go through) + 话 (words). It is an HSK 4 word in the current exam syllabus (2025).
How 普通话 is built
The characters
普 pǔ · widespread
What 普 is made of
- 並bìng — to combine
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 丶 — dot
- 亚yà — Asia
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 业yè — business
- 丷ha — kwukyel
- 日rì — sun; day
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 口kǒu — mouth
Origin hint: Everyone 並 under the sun 日 (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
通 tōng · to go through
What 通 is made of
- 辶 — walking, moving
- 甬yǒng — path
- 用yòng — to use
- 冂 — frame
- 用yòng — to use
Origin hint: 辶 gives the meaning, 甬 gives the sound. (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
话 huà · words
What 话 is made of
- 讠yán — speech
- 舌shé — tongue
- 千qiān — thousand
- 丿 — falling stroke
- 十 — ten
- 口kǒu — mouth
- 冂 — frame
- 一 — horizontal stroke
- 千qiān — thousand
Origin hint: A spoken 讠 tongue 舌; 舌 also provides the pronunciation (from the Make Me a Hanzi dataset; treat as a memory aid where history is uncertain)
Example sentences
Questions about 普通话
What does 普通话 mean?
普通话 (pǔtōnghuà) means “Mandarin; standard Chinese”.
How do you pronounce 普通话?
普通话 is pronounced pǔtōnghuà.
Which HSK level is 普通话?
普通话 is in HSK 4 (exam 2025) and HSK 2 (2021) and Old HSK 4.
Related words
- 普通pǔtōngordinary
- 普遍pǔbiàncommon
- 普及pǔjíto popularize
- 交通jiāotōngtraffic
- 通过tōngguòto pass
- 通知tōngzhīto notify
- 通常tōngchángusually
- 通信tōngxìnto keep in touch (by letter, email)
- 通知书tōngzhīshūnotice
- 沟通gōutōngto communicate
It is part of HSK 2 (2021) · Group 35: a short group with quick checks and spaced repeats.