普通 (pǔtōng) — ordinary; common; standard

普通 (pǔtōng)

普通 means ordinary, common, or standard. It describes things that are typical and unremarkable. Its most famous compound is 普通话 (Pǔtōnghuà), the standard Mandarin Chinese language. As an adjective it appears before nouns (普通的人 — an ordinary person) or after 很 (很普通 — very ordinary/nothing special).

Meanings

1. [adj] Ordinary; common — not special, typical of its kind.
2. [adj] Standard; regular — as opposed to premium or specialized.

Example Sentences

这只是一件普通的事情。 Zhè zhǐ shì yī jiàn pǔtōng de shìqing. This is just an ordinary matter.

他是一个很普通的人。 Tā shì yīgè hěn pǔtōng de rén. He is a very ordinary person.

你会说普通话吗？ Nǐ huì shuō Pǔtōnghuà ma? Can you speak Mandarin (standard Chinese)?

这家酒店普通，但价格便宜。 Zhè jiā jiǔdiàn pǔtōng, dàn jiàgé piányí. This hotel is ordinary but the price is cheap.

Collocations

Memory Hook

普 means "universal/widespread" and 通 means "common/through" — something 普通 is so common it passes through everywhere without standing out.