chuánbō: 传播 - To Spread, To Disseminate, To Propagate

• 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.

• 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.

• 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.

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.

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 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.

• `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.)

• 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.