神通

shéntōng
noun #43,901

Meanings

  1. 1 supernatural powers
  2. 2 remarkable abilities

Examples

HSK 3
Sūn Wùkōng de shéntōng hěn dà, huì qīshí'èr biàn.
Sun Wukong has great magic powers: he knows seventy-two transformations.
HSK 6
Wèile mǎidào yǎnchànghuì de ménpiào, dàjiā gè xiǎn shéntōng, yǒu rén páiduì, yǒu rén zhǎo péngyou bāngmáng.
To get concert tickets, everyone used whatever tricks they had: some queued, some got friends to help.

Tips

history
A Buddhist term for the supernatural powers that buddhas and arhats gain through meditation, such as seeing far or flying. Novels like 西游记 gave it to gods and demons, and today it also praises anyone unusually capable.
usage
Two common idioms: 神通广大, 'having vast powers', often said of someone with amazing connections, and 各显神通, 'each shows what they can do'.

Stroke Order

神 shén
通 tōng