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普通

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Collins Chinese-English Dictionary

普通 [pǔtōng]
  1. 1. adjective common

Comprehensive Chinese-English Dictionary

普通 [pǔtōng]
  1. 1. ordinary; common; average; standard
    普通
    the average person; the man in the street
    普通一兵
    an ordinary soldier; a soldier in the ranks; a rank-and-filer

Contemporary Standard Chinese Dictionary

普通 [pǔtōng]
  1. 1. 一般的;平常的
    普通百姓
    普通住宅
    我是一个普普通通的人。

Examples

杂交水稻的亩产量超过普通水稻的百分之十五至二十。
The per mu yield of hybrid rice exceeds that of ordinary rice by 15 to 20 percent.
普通田鼠
field vole
普通照会
note verbale
以一个普通劳动者的姿态出现 (
(of a senior cadre) appear among the masses as an ordinary worker
普通语言学
general linguistics
他是机关里一个普通的办事员。
He is a ordinary clerk in the department.
红柳是高原上最普通,最常见的一种植物。
The Chionese tamarisk is the most common and familiar plant on high plateaus.
他手中的日历不是普通的日历,而是回历。
The calendar in his hands is not a common one, but a Moslem calendar.
这个会议的会众都是普通的劳动人民。
The people at this meeting are all ordinary laborers.

Collocations

普通
very common
普通
common speech
普通的饭菜
a common meal
外表普通
to appear ordinary

Word Decomposition


[pǔ]
+
[tōng]

nciku Note

普通 vs. 一般

普通 vs. 一般
pǔtōng vs. yībān

1. Both 普通 and 一般 mean “ordinary with nothing (being) unusual.”

(1) 这是一件很普通一般)的衣服。
(2) 我只是一名普通一般)职工。

When referring to the social status of a person, 普通 is mostly used.

(3) 普通会员只能享受8折优惠,高级会员可以享受7折优惠。
(4) 我出生在一个普通的工人家庭。

2. 一般 also indicates an ordinary quality which is neither very high nor very low. 普通 has no such meaning.

(1)这篇文章文笔一般,但是观点非常鲜明。

3. 一般 also means “usually, as a rule,” while 普通 has no such meaning.

(1) 它一般不咬人。
(2) 我一般8点钟起床。
(3) 过年的时候,商场一般都会有促销活动。

4. 普通 can be replicated.

(1) 如此普普通通的举动,却反映了他良好的生活习惯。

5. 一般 also means “the same.”

(1) 他和我一般高。
(2) 灯光把房间照得如同白天一般明亮。

1.“普通”和“一般”都有平常的、常见的、没什么特殊的意思。如指人的社会地位很平常,多用“普通”。
2.“一般”还指质量或水平等不高不低,属大多数情况,“普通”没有这个意思。
3.“一般”还有“在多数情况下”的意思,“普通”没有这个意思。
4.“普通”可以重叠。
5.“一般”还有一样、同样的意思。

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