通电

tōngdiàn

通电 — tōngdiàn

1. to switch on (an electrical circuit); to connect to the power supply

   停电后，技术员很快就把车间通电了。 tíngdiàn hòu jìshùyuán hěnkuài jiù bǎ chējiān tōngdiàn le — After the power outage, the technicians quickly restored power to the workshop.

2. to electrify (to supply with electricity, especially a region or railway)

   这条铁路正在逐段通电，预计明年全线电气化完成。 zhètiáo tiělù zhèngzài zhú duàn tōngdiàn yùjì míngnián quánxiàn diànqìhuà wánchéng — The railway is being electrified section by section; the whole line is expected to be electrified next year.

3. (archaic) to open/send a telegram

   早年通讯不便，人们常常去电报局通电联络亲友。 zǎonián tōngxùn bùbiàn rénmen chángcháng qù diànbàojú tōngdiàn liánluò qīnyǒu — In earlier years when communication was inconvenient, people often went to the telegraph office to send telegrams to contact relatives and friends.