通往
tōng wǎng · HSK 7
to lead to
🛣️ 通 (pass through) + 往 (go toward) = a path that passes through toward somewhere = leads to
通 carries the sense of going through or connecting; 往 means heading toward a place. Together they describe a road or route that connects onward to a destination.
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'.
往 — 彳 (step radical) + 主 (phonetic)
往 originally depicted a foot moving toward a place, with the 彳 radical signaling motion or walking. The right component 主 served mainly as a phonetic clue. Over time the meaning settled into 'to go (toward)' and, by extension, 'past' or 'previously'.