====== chuánbō: 传播 - To Spread, To Disseminate, To Propagate ======
===== Quick Summary =====
  *   **Keywords:** 传播, chuanbo, spread information, disseminate, propagate, spread disease, Chinese verb for spread, how to say spread in Chinese, media in Chinese, public health Chinese
  *   **Summary:** Learn the essential Chinese verb **传播 (chuánbō)**, which means "to spread," "disseminate," or "propagate." This versatile term is crucial for discussing how information, ideas, culture, and even diseases move through society. Whether you're talking about a news story going viral on social media, the spread of a virus, or the propagation of cultural knowledge, **传播 (chuánbō)** is the key word you need. This guide will break down its meaning, cultural context, and practical usage in modern China.
===== Core Meaning =====
  *   **Pinyin (with tone marks):** chuánbō
  *   **Part of Speech:** Verb
  *   **HSK Level:** HSK 5
  *   **Concise Definition:** To spread, disseminate, or propagate something (like information, ideas, or disease) to a wider area or audience.
  *   **In a Nutshell:** Think of **传播 (chuánbō)** as the action of taking something from one point and broadcasting it out to many other points. It can be intentional, like a news agency spreading a story, or unintentional, like a virus spreading through a community. The core idea is movement from a source outwards to a larger group.
===== Character Breakdown =====
  *   **传 (chuán):** This character means "to pass on," "to transmit," or "to hand down." Imagine a person (亻) passing a message or object along.
  *   **播 (bō):** This character means "to sow" or "to scatter," like a farmer sowing seeds with their hand (扌).
  *   Together, **传播 (chuánbō)** literally means "to pass on and scatter." This creates a powerful and vivid image of taking an idea, piece of information, or influence and actively distributing it far and wide, much like sowing seeds in a field to make them grow everywhere.
===== Cultural Context and Significance =====
In China, **传播 (chuánbō)** is a term with significant weight, particularly in the context of media and information. While in the West, we might talk about information "going viral" in a way that suggests an organic, bottom-up phenomenon, **传播** often carries a more neutral or even top-down connotation.
For example, the government often uses the phrase `传播正能量 (chuánbō zhèng néngliàng)`, which means "to spread positive energy." This reflects a cultural perspective where the dissemination of information is seen as a tool for creating social harmony and promoting approved values.
This contrasts with the Western ideal of a "free marketplace of ideas," where information spread is often seen as more chaotic and decentralized. **传播** can describe both, but its frequent use in official contexts gives it a slightly more controlled and purposeful flavor than the English word "spread" might imply. It's about the organized movement of information, not just the random chance of something catching on.
===== Practical Usage in Modern China =====
**传播** is an incredibly common word used across various domains:
  *   **Media and Information:** This is its most frequent use. It refers to the dissemination of news, articles, and social media content.
  *   e.g., `这个消息在网上传播得很快。` (This news spread very fast online.)
  *   **Public Health and Science:** It is the primary term for the transmission or spread of diseases and viruses.
  *   e.g., `我们必须阻止病毒的传播。` (We must stop the spread of the virus.)
  *   **Culture and Knowledge:** It's used formally to describe the propagation of culture, ideas, and knowledge.
  *   e.g., `孔子学院致力于在海外传播中国文化。` (Confucius Institutes are dedicated to spreading Chinese culture overseas.)
  *   **Technology:** It can refer to the propagation of signals, like sound waves, light, or Wi-Fi.
  *   e.g., `声音在水中的传播速度比在空气中快。` (The propagation speed of sound in water is faster than in air.)
The connotation of **传播** is generally neutral; it's the object being spread that gives it a positive or negative flavor. For instance, `传播知识` (spread knowledge) is positive, while `传播谣言` (spread rumors) is negative.
===== Example Sentences =====
**Example 1:**
  *   这个消息通过社交媒体迅速**传播**开来。
  *   Pinyin: Zhège xiāoxi tōngguò shèjiāo méitǐ xùnsù **chuánbō** kāilái.
  *   English: This piece of news spread rapidly through social media.
  *   Analysis: A very common, neutral use of **传播** in the context of modern technology. `开来 (kāilái)` is a resultative complement that emphasizes the spreading "outward."
**Example 2:**
  *   医生们正在努力控制疾病的**传播**。
  *   Pinyin: Yīshēngmen zhèngzài nǔlì kòngzhì jíbìng de **chuánbō**.
  *   English: The doctors are working hard to control the spread of the disease.
  *   Analysis: Here, **传播** is used as a noun ("the spread"). This is a critical context for the word in public health.
**Example 3:**
  *   他的思想**传播**到了世界各地。
  *   Pinyin: Tā de sīxiǎng **chuánbō** dàole shìjiè gèdì.
  *   English: His ideas have spread to all parts of the world.
  *   Analysis: This example shows **传播** used for abstract concepts like philosophy or ideology. It has a positive and profound connotation here.
**Example 4:**
  *   请不要**传播**未经证实的信息。
  *   Pinyin: Qǐng bùyào **chuánbō** wèijīng zhèngshí de xìnxī.
  *   English: Please do not spread unverified information.
  *   Analysis: A negative command. This highlights the responsibility that comes with the power to **传播** information.
**Example 5:**
  *   文化**传播**是不同国家之间交流的重要方式。
  *   Pinyin: Wénhuà **chuánbō** shì bùtóng guójiā zhījiān jiāoliú de zhòngyào fāngshì.
  *   English: Cultural dissemination is an important means of exchange between different countries.
  *   Analysis: A formal and positive use of **传播** as a noun, referring to the concept of cultural exchange.
**Example 6:**
  *   这种植物依靠风力**传播**种子。
  *   Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng zhíwù yīkào fēnglì **chuánbō** zhǒngzǐ.
  *   English: This type of plant relies on the wind to spread its seeds.
  *   Analysis: This shows the word's connection to its literal root meaning of "sowing" (播). It's used here in a biological context.
**Example 7:**
  *   谣言的**传播**速度比真相快得多。
  *   Pinyin: Yáoyán de **chuánbō** sùdù bǐ zhēnxiàng kuài de duō.
  *   English: The speed at which rumors spread is much faster than the truth.
  *   Analysis: Using **传播** with `谣言 (yáoyán)`, or "rumors," gives it a distinctly negative connotation.
**Example 8:**
  *   互联网是知识**传播**的重要渠道。
  *   Pinyin: Hùliánwǎng shì zhīshi **chuánbō** de zhòngyào qúdào.
  *   English: The internet is an important channel for the dissemination of knowledge.
  *   Analysis: A positive and academic sentence. `渠道 (qúdào)` means "channel," a word often paired with **传播**.
**Example 9:**
  *   他因**传播**虚假广告而被罚款。
  *   Pinyin: Tā yīn **chuánbō** xūjiǎ guǎnggào ér bèi fákuǎn.
  *   English: He was fined for disseminating false advertisements.
  *   Analysis: A legal context where **传播** refers to the distribution of illegal or harmful content.
**Example 10:**
  *   无线电波可以**传播**很远的距离。
  *   Pinyin: Wúxiàndiànbō kěyǐ **chuánbō** hěn yuǎn de jùlí.
  *   English: Radio waves can propagate over very long distances.
  *   Analysis: A technical usage of the word, synonymous with "propagate" in physics.
===== Nuances and Common Mistakes =====
  *   **`传播` vs. `宣传 (xuānchuán)`:** This is a crucial distinction. **传播** is a more neutral term for "disseminate." **宣传** means "to publicize" or "to propagandize" and implies a strong persuasive intent. You `传播知识` (spread knowledge) but you `宣传产品` (publicize a product). Using `宣传知识` would sound strange, as if knowledge itself were propaganda.
  *   **`传播` vs. `广播 (guǎngbō)`:** **广播** specifically means "to broadcast" via radio or television. It is a *method* of **传播**. You can say `广播是一种传播方式` (Broadcasting is a method of dissemination). You wouldn't use **广播** to talk about a virus spreading.
  *   **`传播` vs. `铺开 (pūkāi)`:** A common mistake for beginners is to use **传播** for physically spreading a tangible object. **传播** is for intangible things (ideas, news, viruses) or things that multiply and move. To spread a blanket on the floor, you would use `铺开 (pūkāi)`.
    *   **Incorrect:** `我把毯子传播在地上。` (Wǒ bǎ tǎnzi chuánbō zài dìshang.)
    *   **Correct:** `我把毯子铺开在地上。` (Wǒ bǎ tǎnzi pūkāi zài dìshang.)
===== Related Terms and Concepts =====
  *   [[宣传]] (xuānchuán) - To publicize or propagandize. It has a specific goal, whereas **传播** can be neutral.
  *   [[广播]] (guǎngbō) - To broadcast (via radio/TV). A specific, one-to-many technology for **传播**.
  *   [[发布]] (fābù) - To release or issue (e.g., news, a product). This is the initial act that often leads to **传播**.
  *   [[流传]] (liúchuán) - To circulate or be passed down. Often used for stories, legends, and traditions, implying a more organic, long-term spread.
  *   [[蔓延]] (mànyán) - To spread or creep. Carries a strong visual sense of something spreading uncontrollably, like a fire, a vine, or a serious disease. Often has a negative connotation.
  *   [[散布]] (sànbù) - To spread or disseminate, almost always with a negative connotation, such as `散布谣言` (spread rumors) or `散布恐慌` (spread panic).
  *   [[转发]] (zhuǎnfā) - To forward (an email, a message, a post). This is a specific digital action that is a common form of **传播** today.
  *   [[传染]] (chuánrǎn) - To infect or be contagious. This is specifically used for diseases passing from one person to another. It's the micro-level action, while **传播** often describes the macro-level spread in a population.