普通话
pǔ tōng huà · HSK 2
Mandarin
🗣️ 普 (universal) + 通 (through) + 话 (speech) = universal common speech
普 means universal/general, 通 means through/common, 话 means speech or talk. Together 普通话 literally decomposes as the universal common speech — the standardized Mandarin used across China.
通 — 辵 (辶) walk + 甬 yǒng (phonetic)
通 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The 辶 (chuò) component means 'walk' or 'movement', giving the meaning of going through or passing. 甬 (yǒng), originally depicting a hanging bell or a path, supplies the sound. Together they convey 'to pass through, communicate, connect'.
话 — speech radical 讠 (言) + tongue 舌
话 is a semantic-phonetic compound. The left side 讠 (simplified from 言, 'speech') gives the meaning, signaling something said, while 舌 ('tongue') hints at the sound and reinforces the speaking sense. The traditional form 話 makes the 言 element explicit; today 话 means 'speech, talk, words.'