tōngshùn: 通顺 - Smooth and Coherent, Well-written

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• Summary: In Chinese, 通顺 (tōngshùn) is a crucial adjective used to describe language—whether written or spoken—that is smooth, coherent, and easy to understand. It signifies a logical flow of ideas and natural-sounding phrasing. For any learner aiming to move beyond basic sentences, understanding how to make your writing and speech more 通顺 is a key goal. This page will break down its meaning, cultural importance, and distinguish it from the commonly confused term 流利 (liúlì), which means “fluent.”

• Pinyin (with tone marks): tōngshùn
• Part of Speech: Adjective
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: Describes writing or speech that is smooth, logical, and flows naturally, making it easy to comprehend.
• In a Nutshell: Think of 通顺 as the “readability” or “listenability” of a piece of language. If a text is a river, a 通顺 text flows smoothly and carries you along effortlessly. A text that is `不通顺` (bù tōngshùn) is like a river full of rocks and dams; it's difficult to navigate, and you keep getting stuck on awkward phrases, confusing logic, or unnatural word order.

• 通 (tōng): This character's original meaning relates to “passing through” or “connecting.” Imagine a clear, open road or a pipe with no blockages. It implies connection and unimpeded movement.
• 顺 (shùn): This character means “smooth,” “along,” or “in the same direction.” It evokes the feeling of going with the current, not against it.
• When combined, 通顺 (tōngshùn) literally means “to connect smoothly.” This perfectly captures the idea of sentences and ideas linking together in a logical, unobstructed way, creating a text that is a pleasure to read.

In Chinese culture, particularly in education and professional environments, a high value is placed on clarity and consideration for the reader or listener. Writing that is 通顺 is not just a matter of style; it's a sign of a clear mind and a respect for the audience's time and effort. The goal is often to eliminate any ambiguity or difficulty, allowing the message to be absorbed as efficiently as possible. This can be subtly different from some Western writing traditions, where stylistic complexity, a highly unique “voice,” or even intentional ambiguity might be praised as artistic or intellectual. In contrast, a Chinese teacher reviewing an essay will almost always prioritize 通顺 over stylistic flair. The ideal is to make the language “disappear,” leaving only the pure meaning for the reader. This reflects a pragmatic and audience-centric approach to communication. Achieving 通顺 is a fundamental benchmark of proficiency in the language.

通顺 is a high-frequency word used in any context involving the evaluation of language.

• In Education: This is perhaps the most common context. Teachers constantly use 通顺 (and its negative form `不通顺`) to give feedback on student essays, homework, and translations. A comment like “句子不通顺” (The sentence isn't smooth) is standard feedback.
• In the Workplace: When colleagues review reports, emails, or presentations, they might suggest changes to make the document “更通顺一些” (a bit smoother/more readable). It's a polite and constructive way to critique writing.
• Translation: The quality of a translation is often judged by whether it reads 通顺 in the target language. A translation that is technically accurate but awkward is considered poor quality.
• Everyday Conversation: People might use it to comment on a confusing set of instructions, a rambling story, or even a poorly worded text message.

The term is neutral to formal and is a direct, clear way to describe the quality of communication.

• Example 1:
  • 老师说我的作文写得还不够通顺，需要修改一下。
  • Pinyin: Lǎoshī shuō wǒ de zuòwén xiě de hái búgòu tōngshùn, xūyào xiūgǎi yíxià.
  • English: The teacher said my essay isn't well-written enough and needs some revision.
  • Analysis: A classic example from a school context. The focus is on the readability and flow of the writing, not just grammatical errors.
• Example 2:
  • 这篇文章的逻辑清晰，语言通顺，是一篇好文章。
  • Pinyin: Zhè piān wénzhāng de luójí qīngxī, yǔyán tōngshùn, shì yì piān hǎo wénzhāng.
  • English: This article's logic is clear and its language is smooth; it's a great piece of writing.
  • Analysis: Here, 通顺 is used as high praise, paired with `逻辑清晰` (clear logic) to describe a well-crafted text.
• Example 3:
  • 这个翻译软件翻出来的句子很生硬，读起来非常不通顺。
  • Pinyin: Zhège fānyì ruǎnjiàn fān chūlái de jùzi hěn shēngyìng, dú qǐlái fēicháng bù tōngshùn.
  • English: The sentences produced by this translation software are very stiff and don't read smoothly at all.
  • Analysis: This highlights the opposite, `不通顺`, and is a common complaint about machine translation. `生硬` (shēngyìng - stiff) is often used alongside it.
• Example 4:
  • 你能不能帮我看看这封邮件？我担心有些地方表达得不通顺。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ néng bu néng bāng wǒ kànkan zhè fēng yóujiàn? Wǒ dānxīn yǒu xiē dìfang biǎodá de bù tōngshùn.
  • English: Can you help me look over this email? I'm worried some parts aren't expressed smoothly.
  • Analysis: A common and practical request, showing self-awareness about one's writing quality.
• Example 5:
  • 为了让孩子们能看懂，他特意把故事写得非常简单通顺。
  • Pinyin: Wèile ràng háizimen néng kàndǒng, tā tèyì bǎ gùshi xiě de fēicháng jiǎndān tōngshùn.
  • English: In order for the children to understand, he purposely wrote the story to be very simple and easy to read.
  • Analysis: This shows that 通顺 is often linked with simplicity and clarity for a specific audience.
• Example 6:
  • 他喝醉了，说话颠三倒四的，一点儿也不通顺。
  • Pinyin: Tā hē zuì le, shuōhuà diānsāndǎosì de, yìdiǎnr yě bù tōngshùn.
  • English: He's drunk, he's speaking incoherently and not making any sense at all.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates that 通顺 can also apply to spoken language, referring to the logical coherence of what is being said. `颠三倒四` is an idiom for being incoherent.
• Example 7:
  • 多读多写是提高语言通顺度的最好方法。
  • Pinyin: Duō dú duō xiě shì tígāo yǔyán tōngshùndù de zuì hǎo fāngfǎ.
  • English: Reading more and writing more is the best way to improve the smoothness of your language.
  • Analysis: Here, `通顺度` (tōngshùndù) is used as a noun meaning “the degree of smoothness/coherence.”
• Example 8:
  • 你觉得我刚才的解释通顺吗？你听懂了吗？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ juéde wǒ gāngcái de jiěshì tōngshùn ma? Nǐ tīng dǒng le ma?
  • English: Do you think my explanation just now was coherent? Did you understand?
  • Analysis: Using 通顺 in a question to check for understanding. It's not just asking “did you hear me?” but “did my logic make sense?”
• Example 9:
  • 这份法律合同的条款必须写得严谨通顺，不能有任何歧义。
  • Pinyin: Zhè fèn fǎlǜ hétong de tiáokuǎn bìxū xiě de yánjǐn tōngshùn, bùnéng yǒu rènhé qíyì.
  • English: The clauses in this legal contract must be written rigorously and coherently, without any ambiguity.
  • Analysis: In a formal, high-stakes context, 通顺 is paired with `严谨` (yánjǐn - rigorous, precise) to emphasize the need for absolute clarity.
• Example 10:
  • 把这些零散的想法整理成一段通顺的文字需要花点时间。
  • Pinyin: Bǎ zhèxiē língsǎn de xiǎngfǎ zhěnglǐ chéng yí duàn tōngshùn de wénzì xūyào huā diǎn shíjiān.
  • English: It takes some time to organize these scattered ideas into a coherent paragraph.
  • Analysis: This perfectly illustrates the process of creating 通顺 text: taking chaotic ideas and giving them a smooth, logical structure.

The most significant point of confusion for English speakers is the difference between 通顺 (tōngshùn) and 流利 (liúlì).

• 通顺 (tōngshùn): Describes the quality of the language itself (the text, the speech content). It's about being smooth, logical, and well-structured.
• 流利 (liúlì): Describes the ability of the person speaking. It means “fluent” in the sense of speaking a foreign language without hesitation or difficulty.

A native speaker can write a paragraph that is grammatically correct but `不通顺` (not coherent). Conversely, a foreign learner who is not very `流利` can still write a simple sentence that is perfectly `通顺`. Common Mistake:

• Incorrect: 他说中文很通顺。 (He speaks Chinese very “coherently.”)
  • Why it's usually wrong: This is a direct translation of thought from English. When you want to say someone speaks a language fluently and smoothly, the correct word is 流利.
• Correct: 他说中文很流利。 (He speaks Chinese very fluently.)
• When you CAN use 通顺 for speech: You use it when you are commenting on the logical coherence of what someone is saying, not their language skill. For example: `他解释了半天，但逻辑不通顺，我还是没懂。` (He explained for a long time, but his logic wasn't coherent, so I still don't get it.)

• 流利 (liúlì): Fluent (describes a person's speaking ability). The most important term to distinguish from 通顺.
• 流畅 (liúchàng): Fluent, smooth (a very close synonym for 通顺, often interchangeable, but can sometimes imply a more graceful or elegant flow).
• 连贯 (liánguàn): Coherent, connected. This term focuses more specifically on the logical links between sentences and ideas, while 通顺 covers both logic and natural phrasing.
• 地道 (dìdao): Authentic, idiomatic. This is a step beyond 通顺. A text can be 通顺 but still sound like a textbook. A `地道` text sounds like it was written by a native speaker.
• 生硬 (shēngyìng): Stiff, awkward. A direct antonym for 通顺. It describes text that is unnatural, often a result of direct translation.
• 别扭 (bièniu): Awkward, unnatural. Another common antonym. It describes a phrase or sentence that just “feels wrong” or clumsy.
• 清晰 (qīngxī): Clear, distinct. Often used alongside 通顺. A text can be `清晰` in its individual points but not `通顺` in its overall flow.
• 逻辑 (luójí): Logic. A key component of being 通顺. If the logic is flawed, the text cannot be 通顺.