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| 传播 [2025/08/12 01:01] – created xiaoer | 传播 [Unknown date] (current) – removed - external edit (Unknown date) 127.0.0.1 |
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| ====== chuánbō: 传播 - To Spread, To Disseminate, To Propagate ====== | |
| ===== Quick Summary ===== | |
| * **Keywords:** 传播, chuanbo, spread information, disseminate, propagate, spread disease, Chinese verb for spread, how to say spread in Chinese, media in Chinese, public health Chinese | |
| * **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese verb **传播 (chuánbō)**, which means "to spread," "disseminate," or "propagate." This versatile term is crucial for discussing how information, ideas, culture, and even diseases move through society. Whether you're talking about a news story going viral on social media, the spread of a virus, or the propagation of cultural knowledge, **传播 (chuánbō)** is the key word you need. This guide will break down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage in modern China. | |
| ===== Core Meaning ===== | |
| * **Pinyin (with tone marks):** chuánbō | |
| * **Part of Speech:** Verb | |
| * **HSK Level:** HSK 5 | |
| * **Concise Definition:** To spread, disseminate, or propagate something (like information, ideas, or disease) to a wider area or audience. | |
| * **In a Nutshell:** Think of **传播 (chuánbō)** as the action of taking something from one point and broadcasting it out to many other points. It can be intentional, like a news agency spreading a story, or unintentional, like a virus spreading through a community. The core idea is movement from a source outwards to a larger group. | |
| ===== Character Breakdown ===== | |
| * **传 (chuán):** This character means "to pass on," "to transmit," or "to hand down." Imagine a person (亻) passing a message or object along. | |
| * **播 (bō):** This character means "to sow" or "to scatter," like a farmer sowing seeds with their hand (扌). | |
| * Together, **传播 (chuánbō)** literally means "to pass on and scatter." This creates a powerful and vivid image of taking an idea, piece of information, or influence and actively distributing it far and wide, much like sowing seeds in a field to make them grow everywhere. | |
| ===== Cultural Context and Significance ===== | |
| In China, **传播 (chuánbō)** is a term with significant weight, particularly in the context of media and information. While in the West, we might talk about information "going viral" in a way that suggests an organic, bottom-up phenomenon, **传播** often carries a more neutral or even top-down connotation. | |
| For example, the government often uses the phrase `传播正能量 (chuánbō zhèng néngliàng)`, which means "to spread positive energy." This reflects a cultural perspective where the dissemination of information is seen as a tool for creating social harmony and promoting approved values. | |
| This contrasts with the Western ideal of a "free marketplace of ideas," where information spread is often seen as more chaotic and decentralized. **传播** can describe both, but its frequent use in official contexts gives it a slightly more controlled and purposeful flavor than the English word "spread" might imply. It's about the organized movement of information, not just the random chance of something catching on. | |
| ===== Practical Usage in Modern China ===== | |
| **传播** is an incredibly common word used across various domains: | |
| * **Media and Information:** This is its most frequent use. It refers to the dissemination of news, articles, and social media content. | |
| * e.g., `这个消息在网上传播得很快。` (This news spread very fast online.) | |
| * **Public Health and Science:** It is the primary term for the transmission or spread of diseases and viruses. | |
| * e.g., `我们必须阻止病毒的传播。` (We must stop the spread of the virus.) | |
| * **Culture and Knowledge:** It's used formally to describe the propagation of culture, ideas, and knowledge. | |
| * e.g., `孔子学院致力于在海外传播中国文化。` (Confucius Institutes are dedicated to spreading Chinese culture overseas.) | |
| * **Technology:** It can refer to the propagation of signals, like sound waves, light, or Wi-Fi. | |
| * e.g., `声音在水中的传播速度比在空气中快。` (The propagation speed of sound in water is faster than in air.) | |
| The connotation of **传播** is generally neutral; it's the object being spread that gives it a positive or negative flavor. For instance, `传播知识` (spread knowledge) is positive, while `传播谣言` (spread rumors) is negative. | |
| ===== Example Sentences ===== | |
| **Example 1:** | |
| * 这个消息通过社交媒体迅速**传播**开来。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhège xiāoxi tōngguò shèjiāo méitǐ xùnsù **chuánbō** kāilái. | |
| * English: This piece of news spread rapidly through social media. | |
| * Analysis: A very common, neutral use of **传播** in the context of modern technology. `开来 (kāilái)` is a resultative complement that emphasizes the spreading "outward." | |
| **Example 2:** | |
| * 医生们正在努力控制疾病的**传播**。 | |
| * Pinyin: Yīshēngmen zhèngzài nǔlì kòngzhì jíbìng de **chuánbō**. | |
| * English: The doctors are working hard to control the spread of the disease. | |
| * Analysis: Here, **传播** is used as a noun ("the spread"). This is a critical context for the word in public health. | |
| **Example 3:** | |
| * 他的思想**传播**到了世界各地。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā de sīxiǎng **chuánbō** dàole shìjiè gèdì. | |
| * English: His ideas have spread to all parts of the world. | |
| * Analysis: This example shows **传播** used for abstract concepts like philosophy or ideology. It has a positive and profound connotation here. | |
| **Example 4:** | |
| * 请不要**传播**未经证实的信息。 | |
| * Pinyin: Qǐng bùyào **chuánbō** wèijīng zhèngshí de xìnxī. | |
| * English: Please do not spread unverified information. | |
| * Analysis: A negative command. This highlights the responsibility that comes with the power to **传播** information. | |
| **Example 5:** | |
| * 文化**传播**是不同国家之间交流的重要方式。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wénhuà **chuánbō** shì bùtóng guójiā zhījiān jiāoliú de zhòngyào fāngshì. | |
| * English: Cultural dissemination is an important means of exchange between different countries. | |
| * Analysis: A formal and positive use of **传播** as a noun, referring to the concept of cultural exchange. | |
| **Example 6:** | |
| * 这种植物依靠风力**传播**种子。 | |
| * Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng zhíwù yīkào fēnglì **chuánbō** zhǒngzǐ. | |
| * English: This type of plant relies on the wind to spread its seeds. | |
| * Analysis: This shows the word's connection to its literal root meaning of "sowing" (播). It's used here in a biological context. | |
| **Example 7:** | |
| * 谣言的**传播**速度比真相快得多。 | |
| * Pinyin: Yáoyán de **chuánbō** sùdù bǐ zhēnxiàng kuài de duō. | |
| * English: The speed at which rumors spread is much faster than the truth. | |
| * Analysis: Using **传播** with `谣言 (yáoyán)`, or "rumors," gives it a distinctly negative connotation. | |
| **Example 8:** | |
| * 互联网是知识**传播**的重要渠道。 | |
| * Pinyin: Hùliánwǎng shì zhīshi **chuánbō** de zhòngyào qúdào. | |
| * English: The internet is an important channel for the dissemination of knowledge. | |
| * Analysis: A positive and academic sentence. `渠道 (qúdào)` means "channel," a word often paired with **传播**. | |
| **Example 9:** | |
| * 他因**传播**虚假广告而被罚款。 | |
| * Pinyin: Tā yīn **chuánbō** xūjiǎ guǎnggào ér bèi fákuǎn. | |
| * English: He was fined for disseminating false advertisements. | |
| * Analysis: A legal context where **传播** refers to the distribution of illegal or harmful content. | |
| **Example 10:** | |
| * 无线电波可以**传播**很远的距离。 | |
| * Pinyin: Wúxiàndiànbō kěyǐ **chuánbō** hěn yuǎn de jùlí. | |
| * English: Radio waves can propagate over very long distances. | |
| * Analysis: A technical usage of the word, synonymous with "propagate" in physics. | |
| ===== Nuances and Common Mistakes ===== | |
| * **`传播` vs. `宣传 (xuānchuán)`:** This is a crucial distinction. **传播** is a more neutral term for "disseminate." **宣传** means "to publicize" or "to propagandize" and implies a strong persuasive intent. You `传播知识` (spread knowledge) but you `宣传产品` (publicize a product). Using `宣传知识` would sound strange, as if knowledge itself were propaganda. | |
| * **`传播` vs. `广播 (guǎngbō)`:** **广播** specifically means "to broadcast" via radio or television. It is a *method* of **传播**. You can say `广播是一种传播方式` (Broadcasting is a method of dissemination). You wouldn't use **广播** to talk about a virus spreading. | |
| * **`传播` vs. `铺开 (pūkāi)`:** A common mistake for beginners is to use **传播** for physically spreading a tangible object. **传播** is for intangible things (ideas, news, viruses) or things that multiply and move. To spread a blanket on the floor, you would use `铺开 (pūkāi)`. | |
| * **Incorrect:** `我把毯子传播在地上。` (Wǒ bǎ tǎnzi chuánbō zài dìshang.) | |
| * **Correct:** `我把毯子铺开在地上。` (Wǒ bǎ tǎnzi pūkāi zài dìshang.) | |
| ===== Related Terms and Concepts ===== | |
| * [[宣传]] (xuānchuán) - To publicize or propagandize. It has a specific goal, whereas **传播** can be neutral. | |
| * [[广播]] (guǎngbō) - To broadcast (via radio/TV). A specific, one-to-many technology for **传播**. | |
| * [[发布]] (fābù) - To release or issue (e.g., news, a product). This is the initial act that often leads to **传播**. | |
| * [[流传]] (liúchuán) - To circulate or be passed down. Often used for stories, legends, and traditions, implying a more organic, long-term spread. | |
| * [[蔓延]] (mànyán) - To spread or creep. Carries a strong visual sense of something spreading uncontrollably, like a fire, a vine, or a serious disease. Often has a negative connotation. | |
| * [[散布]] (sànbù) - To spread or disseminate, almost always with a negative connotation, such as `散布谣言` (spread rumors) or `散布恐慌` (spread panic). | |
| * [[转发]] (zhuǎnfā) - To forward (an email, a message, a post). This is a specific digital action that is a common form of **传播** today. | |
| * [[传染]] (chuánrǎn) - To infect or be contagious. This is specifically used for diseases passing from one person to another. It's the micro-level action, while **传播** often describes the macro-level spread in a population. | |