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I came across these sentences

我浑身都湿透了。
这些芒果熟透了。

And MDBG lists these:

坏透,烂透,恨透,干透。

Should 透 only be used with these adjectives?

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    Here 透 is used as an adverb, "completely". But 这个人好透了 is wrong while 这个人坏透了 is OK, 我高兴透了 is wrong while 我烦透了 is OK ... I don't know why but it seems 透 is often used with some negative words.
    – Stan
    Commented Jul 14, 2013 at 16:07
  • 1
    Like @Stan said it's often used with negative words, but not always. In your example, 熟透了 is neutral to positive. I think one difference between 透 and 完全/彻底 is formality. 透 is colloquial and rarely used in formal writing.
    – NS.X.
    Commented Jul 14, 2013 at 18:24
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    Is the meaning close to the "... to the core" expression? For instance, rotten to the core, soaked to the core.
    – tao
    Commented Jul 15, 2013 at 3:26
  • @tao, yes, that or thoroughly.
    – 杨以轩
    Commented Jul 15, 2013 at 7:48
  • @tao very good translation. "... to the core" keeps the image of rather than just explaining its meaning.
    – Stan
    Commented Jul 15, 2013 at 8:33

3 Answers 3

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Question: When can I use 透?

Looking at the meanings:

(tou4) = penetrate, pass through, transparent, to show

So, you can use it to applicable situations:

penetrate: 墨汁渗透了那张纸 (Mòzhī shèntòule nà zhāng zhǐ): The ink penetrated through the paper

pass through: 太阳射线穿透了窗口 (Tàiyáng shèxiàn chuān tòule chuāngkǒu): The sun rays passed through the window

transparent: 她穿的衬衫是透明的 (Tā chuān de chènshān shì tòumíng de): she wore a transparent top

to show/reveal: 他身上透出一股英气 (Tā shēnshang tòu chū yī gǔ yīngqì): he revealed his heroic spirit

The commonality here is that 透 means something that is revealing, or gets through something... So in any instance that occurs, you can probably use 透

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  • "太阳射线 穿透 了窗口" sounds better.
    – Stan
    Commented Jul 15, 2013 at 9:02
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Here is my point

verb + 透: means "through", such as 穿 + 透,看 + 透
adj + 透: means "extreme", such as 湿 + 透, 糟 + 透
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  • Welcome to Chinese SE. For answers, please try to elaborate as best as you can. If you believe this answer requires no further detail, please post it as a comment. Thank you
    – user3871
    Commented Jul 16, 2013 at 3:08
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As other explains,透 (tou4) = penetrate, pass through, transparent, to show,this is one meaning,the other is "completely"

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    If you agree with others' answers, please just upvote them :)
    – Stan
    Commented Jul 22, 2013 at 3:42
  • @Stan,I almost have not read any answer completely :) Commented Jul 22, 2013 at 4:09
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    @XL_at_China Reading some of the other answers is a good prerequisite for adding your own... Commented Jul 22, 2013 at 6:43
  • @StumpyJoePete,the time is not available sometimes Commented Aug 25, 2013 at 9:34

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