疏通 shūtōng to unblock
to unblock; to dredge; to clear the way; to get things flowing; to facilitate; to mediate; to lobby; to explicate (a text)
How to remember 疏通: 疏 to neglect + 通 pass through = to unblock.
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How it is used
- To unclog a passage or smooth over a matter - 疏通下水道 (shūtōng xiàshuǐdào) to unclog a drain; 疏通关系 (grease the wheels of a relationship).
- Literal (clearing pipes/channels) and figurative (mediating, lobbying, oiling connections).
- The 疏通关系 sense can hint at pulling strings; context tells whether it's honest mediation or backdoor dealing.