Meanings of 統
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About 統
Podcast: 統
Podcast: 統
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AI Study Notes for 統
統 (tǒng) vs 合 (hé) — choose 統 when emphasizing governance or command, while 合 focuses more on the idea of joining or combining.
統 is often used in formal contexts, such as politics or management, so it may not be suitable for casual conversation. Be careful with the tone; the third tone (tǒng) can be easily confused with the second tone (tóng), which means 'same'. Common collocations include 統治 (to rule) and 統一 (to unify).
While 統 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects with other words at higher levels that relate to governance and organization, such as 管理 (guǎn lǐ - to manage) and 组织 (zǔ zhī - to organize). Focus on recognizing the character in compound words.
Learners often confuse 統 with the similar-sounding words 終 (zhōng - to end) or 同 (tóng - same). For example, saying 終一 instead of 統一 is incorrect; the correct phrase for 'to unify' is 統一.
Pronunciation of 統
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Etymology of 統
Simplified form of 統. Phonosemantic compound. 糹 represents the meaning and 充 represents the sound.
thread
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 統
Simplified form of 統. Phonosemantic compound. 糹 represents the meaning and 充 represents the sound.
- 1The meaning half糹 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half充 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaythread
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 統? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 統
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How to say to govern, to command; to gather, to unite in Chinese
“to govern, to command; to gather, to unite” in Chinese is統
The character 統 (tǒng) primarily means 'to govern' or 'to command', and it also conveys the idea of gathering or uniting various elements into a whole. It is commonly used in contexts related to leadership, administration, and organizational structures, as well as in phrases that emphasize unity or integration.
When to use 統
統 is often used in formal contexts, such as politics or management, so it may not be suitable for casual conversation. Be careful with the tone; the third tone (tǒng) can be easily confused with the second tone (tóng), which means 'same'. Common collocations include 統治 (to rule) and 統一 (to unify).
統 or something close to it
統 (tǒng) vs 合 (hé) — choose 統 when emphasizing governance or command, while 合 focuses more on the idea of joining or combining.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 統 with the similar-sounding words 終 (zhōng - to end) or 同 (tóng - same). For example, saying 終一 instead of 統一 is incorrect; the correct phrase for 'to unify' is 統一.
Write 統
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Practice writing 統 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 統
Compound Meaning
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Frequently Asked Questions about 統
The correct pronunciation is tǒng, with a falling-rising tone.
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