通知 (tōng zhī) is a versatile word meaning 'notice' or 'notification' as a noun, and 'to inform' or 'to notify' as a verb. The character 通 (tōng) conveys the idea of 'through', 'general', or 'communication', while 知 (zhī) means 'to know' or 'knowledge'. Together, they literally suggest 'making something known to others' — emphasizing the act of transmitting information so that recipients become aware. It is commonly used in formal, official, or organizational contexts, such as school announcements, workplace memos, government bulletins, or digital alerts.

This word carries a neutral-to-formal register and is rarely used in casual speech among friends (where 告诉 gào su or 说 shuō are preferred). As a noun, it often appears with measure words like 一則 (yī zé) or 一份 (yī fèn); as a verb, it typically takes a direct object (e.g., 通知大家 tōng zhī dà jiā — 'inform everyone') and may be followed by a complement indicating purpose or content.