单传

單傳
dānchuán
verb #68,371

Meanings

  1. 1 to have only one heir per generation (of a family or clan)
  2. 2 to be passed down from a single master (of a skill or art)

Examples

HSK 7-9
Tā jiā sān dài dānchuán, dōu shì dúzǐ.
His family has had only one son per generation for three generations - all only children.
HSK 7-9
Zhè mén wǔyì shì shīfu dānchuán gěi tā de.
This martial art was passed down to him from his master alone.

Tips

culture
三代单传 ('three generations of single-heir transmission') is a traditional phrase carrying real social weight in old China; the family line depended on that single son, so the pressure on him to produce heirs was enormous.

Stroke Order

单 dān
传 chuán