Collins Chinese Dictionary Plus (3rd edition), 2011:
通
tōngI 动
1
(=连接) connect with
- 通商 tōngshāng have trade relations with
- 通风(風) tōngfēng ventilate
- 这(這)间(間)办(辦)公室不通风(風)。 Zhè jiān bàngōngshì bù tōngfēng.
This office is poorly ventilated. - 这(這)条(條)高速公路直通上海。 Zhè tiáo gāosù gōnglù zhítōng Shànghǎi.
This expressway leads directly to Shanghai.
2 (=使不堵) clear …out
- 通下水道 tōng xiàshuǐdào clear out a drain
3
(=传达) inform
- 通信 tōngxìn correspond by letter
- 通电(電)话(話) tōng diànhuà communicate by telephone
- 通电(電)报(報) tōng diànbào
send a telegram
4 (=通晓) understand;
(pt, pp understood)
(pt, pp understood)
- 精通 jīngtōng be expert in
- 精通英语(語) jīngtōng Yīngyǔ have a good command of English
II 名
expert
- 外语(語)通 wàiyǔ tōng an expert in foreign languages
III 形
1
(=没有障碍) open
- 电(電)话(話)打通了。 Diànhuà dǎ tōng le. The call has been put through.
2
(=顺畅) workable
- 这(這)个(個)计(計)划(劃)行不通。 Zhège jìhuà xíng bù tōng. This plan is unworkable.
- 我怎么(麼)也想不通他为(為)什么(麼)要这(這)么(麼)做。 Wǒ zěnme yě xiǎng bù tōng tā wèi shénme yào zhème zuò. I just don't understand why he would do something like that.
3 (=通顺) coherent
4
(=普通) common
5
(=整个) overall
- 通盘(盤)规(規)划(劃) tōngpán guīhuà overall plan
通
tòng 量
1
(=遍)
- 她一通一通地打电(電)话(話)。 Tā yī tòng yī tòng de dǎ diànhuà. She made one phone call after another.
- 她跳了一通舞。 Tā tiàole yī tòng wǔ. She danced for a while.
2 (指言语)
- 老师(師)说(說)了他一通。 Lǎoshī shuōle tā yī tòng. The teacher gave him a telling-off.