<p>Here is my point</p>

<pre><code>verb + 透: means "through", such as 穿 + 透，看 + 透
adj + 透: means "extreme", such as 湿 + 透, 糟 + 透
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-16T03:08:49.090Z
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
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-16T02:05:21.467Z
2013-07-16T02:05:21.467Z
yushulx
<p>As other explains,透 (tou4) = penetrate, pass through, transparent, to show,this is one meaning,the other is "completely"</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-22T03:42:32.500Z
If you agree with others' answers, please just upvote them :)
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-22T04:09:15.977Z
@Stan,I almost have not read any answer completely :)
XL _At_Here_There
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2013-07-22T06:43:08.897Z
@XL_at_China Reading some of the other answers is a good prerequisite for adding your own...
Stumpy Joe Pete
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-25T09:34:06.077Z
@StumpyJoePete,the time is not available sometimes
XL _At_Here_There
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-22T03:24:18.443Z
2013-07-22T03:24:18.443Z
XL _At_Here_There
<p>Question: When can I use 透?</p>

<p>Looking at the meanings:</p>

<p><code>透</code> (tou4) = penetrate, pass through, transparent, to show</p>

<p>So, you can use it to applicable situations:</p>

<pre><code>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
</code></pre>

<p>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</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-15T09:02:47.123Z
"太阳射线 **穿透** 了窗口" sounds better.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-14T17:28:55.363Z
2013-07-15T20:15:26.140Z
2013-07-15T20:15:26.140Z
user3871
<p>I came across these sentences </p>

<pre><code>我浑身都湿透了。
这些芒果熟透了。
</code></pre>

<p>And MDBG lists these：</p>

<pre><code>坏透，烂透，恨透，干透。
</code></pre>

<p>Should 透 only be used with these adjectives？</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-14T16:07:46.977Z
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
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-14T18:24:52.910Z
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.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-15T03:26:42.627Z
Is the meaning close to the "... to the core" expression? For instance, rotten to the core, soaked to the core.
tao
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-15T07:48:29.943Z
@tao, yes, that or thoroughly.
杨以轩
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-07-15T08:33:55.097Z
@tao very good translation. "... to the core" keeps the image of `透` rather than just explaining its meaning.
Stan
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-06T05:48:25.590Z
1、雨后，我走出家门，出来透透气。
2、一道阳光从乌云中透出来。
3、你这个人坏透了。
Hize
CC BY-SA 3.0
2013-08-13T04:17:02.897Z
In your case, 透=彻底(thorough)=完全(completely), this is the meaning generally used. And 透 has the meaning as @Grower's answer as a verb.
Eden Harder
<word-choice>
When can I use 透?
# When can I use 透?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2013-07-14)

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？

**Tags:** word-choice

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 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.  
> **username_2**: Like @username_1 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.  
> **username_0**: Is the meaning close to the "... to the core" expression? For instance, rotten to the core, soaked to the core.  
> **username_3**: @username_0, yes, that or thoroughly.  
> **username_1**: @username_0 very good translation. "... to the core" keeps the image of `透` rather than just explaining its meaning.  
> **username_4**: 1、雨后，我走出家门，出来透透气。 2、一道阳光从乌云中透出来。 3、你这个人坏透了。  
> **username_5**: In your case, 透=彻底(thorough)=完全(completely), this is the meaning generally used. And 透 has the meaning as @Grower's answer as a verb.  

---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_7 on 2013-07-14. Score: 3 | Accepted answer

Question: When can I use 透?
Looking at the meanings:
透 (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

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: "太阳射线 **穿透** 了窗口" sounds better.  

---

### Answer by username_6 on 2013-07-16. Score: 2

Here is my point
verb + 透: means "through", such as 穿 + 透，看 + 透
adj + 透: means "extreme", such as 湿 + 透, 糟 + 透

> **Comments:**
> **username_7**: 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  

---

### Answer by username_8 on 2013-07-22. Score: -1

As other explains,透 (tou4) = penetrate, pass through, transparent, to show,this is one meaning,the other is "completely"

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: If you agree with others' answers, please just upvote them :)  
> **username_8**: @username_1,I almost have not read any answer completely :)  
> **username_9**: @XL_at_China Reading some of the other answers is a good prerequisite for adding your own...  
> **username_8**: @StumpyJoePete,the time is not available sometimes  

---

