透 (tòu) - to penetrate & to pass through

透Tone 4

tòu ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

透 · tòu

to penetrate;

to pass through;

to permeate;

to seep;

to leak;

to reveal;

thoroughly;

completely

to penetrateto pass throughto permeate

Usage highlights

transparentventilatepenetratereveal a secretsee throughsoaked through

Synonyms

  • 穿— to pierce through
  • 渗— to seep
  • 漏— to leak

Antonyms

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • Sunlight penetrates through the window (阳光透过窗户).
  • The secret was leaked (秘密被透漏了).
  • I understand this thoroughly (我彻底看透了).
  • The cloth is breathable (这布料很透气).

Collocations

  • transparent(透明)
  • ventilate(透气)
  • penetrate(透过)
  • reveal a secret(透漏)
  • see through(看透)
  • soaked through(湿透)

Idioms

  • To see through the vanity of human life(看透红尘)
  • To be thoroughly familiar with something(玲珑剔透)
  • To be soaked through and through(风雨不透)
  • To have a thorough understanding(透彻明了)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • The character combines the 'movement' radical (辶) with the phonetic component 秀, suggesting movement through something elegant or refined.
  • In Chinese philosophy, '透' often describes deep understanding or enlightenment, as in seeing through superficial appearances.
  • Used positively in contexts describing clarity, transparency, and complete comprehension.

FAQ