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傳

简传 · 繁傳

Mandarin · pinyin chuán#

Mandarin · pinyin zhuàn#

biography
historical narrative
commentaries
relay station

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Characters in this entry

傳: chuán · summon; propagate, transmit
传: chuán · summon; propagate, transmit

Written characters and their own readings; the entry’s pronunciation is shown above.

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Mandarin tones

2 · chuan2

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Dictionary tones. Connected speech can change their realization.

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2character links9same-tone records

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Read this spelling in Classical texts

Follow a written form into the eight pinned witnesses: Analects, Mencius, Laozi, Zhuangzi, Xunzi, Han Feizi, Sunzi and the Mao Shijing. A match is a place to investigate; it does not prove that a modern dictionary sense fits the passage.

傳 · find source passages ↗ · 传 · find source passages ↗

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Compare dictionary sources Wiktionary · 21 senses · 4 Cantonese readings

Rime Cantonese 粵拼

cyun4 · zyun2 · zyun3 · zyun6

Cantonese word readings for 傳. This lexicon supplies readings, not definitions.

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Wiktionary English definitions · Chinese section

Independent source senses for this spelling, with usage labels retained. Not matched to the pronunciation above.

character · Etymology 1

to transfer; to deliver; to transmit; to pass on
to teach; to impart
to pass down; to hand down
to abdicate; to resign sovereign authority
to express; to convey
to summon; to call
to spread; to circulate; to disseminate
(physics) to conduct (electricity or heat)
(Hokkien) to pass on to the next generation; to transmit to the offspring
(Mainland China Hokkien) to give birth; to procreate; to have children
(Quanzhou Hokkien) to give
(Quanzhou Hokkien) to allow; to let; to permit
(Quanzhou Hokkien) by

character · Etymology 2

(historical, literature) a category of historical literary works — historical narrative; record; chronicle; historical documents
(historical, literature) a category of historical literary works — commentary; annotation
(historical, literature) a category of historical literary works — paracanonical work (any work that complements a canon or a canonical body of texts but not considered canonical by itself, often including the above)
(literature) biography; life story
(historical, literature) novel or story written in the historical style
to write a biography

character · Etymology 3

(historical) relay station for transmitting documents
(historical) stagecoach; post-chaise

Source page · dump 2026-09-02 · Contributors & history

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