Meaning
普 means 'universal' or 'general' and typically appears as a bound morpheme in compound words. It conveys the sense of something being widespread, common to all, or not limited to a specific group. Rarely used alone in modern Mandarin, it forms important words related to universality and generality.
Usage
普 is almost always used in compound words rather than standing alone. Common combinations include 普通 (ordinary), 普遍 (universal), and 普及 (to popularize). It appears in formal and everyday contexts alike, particularly when discussing things that apply broadly or are accessible to everyone.
Examples
- 01这是一个很普遍的问题。.This is a very common problem.
- 02我们要普及科学知识。.We need to popularize scientific knowledge.
Common collocations
- 普通话Mandarin Chinese (standard spoken Chinese)
- 普遍现象universal phenomenon
- 普及教育universal education
Antonyms
Origin
The character 普 originally combined the meanings of 'sun' (日) and 'together' to suggest sunlight spreading universally to all places, though modern forms have evolved from this ancient composition.