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verb HSK 5
jīng tōng
to master · to be proficient in · to have a thorough knowledge of

Meaning

精通 means to have deep expertise or mastery in a particular field, skill, or subject. It implies more than basic competence—it suggests thorough understanding and high-level proficiency achieved through study and practice.

Usage

精通 is commonly used in formal or professional contexts to describe expertise in languages, technical skills, or academic subjects. It often appears with 'in/at' constructions using objects like languages (精通英语), technologies (精通电脑), or fields of study. The level of mastery implied is quite high, so it's not used casually.

Examples

  1. 01
    她精通三种外语，在国际会议上担任翻译。
    Tā jīng tōng sān zhǒng wài yǔ, zài guó jì huì yì shàng dān rèn fān yì.
    She is proficient in three foreign languages and works as an interpreter at international conferences.
  2. 02
    要成为一名优秀的程序员，必须精通至少一门编程语言。
    Yào chéng wéi yī míng yōu xiù de chéng xù yuán, bì xū jīng tōng zhì shǎo yī mén biān chéng yǔ yán.
    To become an excellent programmer, one must master at least one programming language.

Characters

Common collocations

  • 精通英语
    jīng tōng Yīng yǔ
    to be proficient in English
  • 精通业务
    jīng tōng yè wù
    to master one's professional work
  • 精通技术
    jīng tōng jì shù
    to be proficient in technology/techniques
  • 精通多种语言
    jīng tōng duō zhǒng yǔ yán
    to be proficient in multiple languages

Antonyms

Origin

精 originally meant 'refined rice' or 'essence,' later extending to mean 'refined' or 'expert.' 通 means 'to pass through' or 'to understand completely.' Together they express the idea of refined, complete understanding.

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