Comparing "pubian" and "putong"

普遍 and 普通 are similar in the fact that both are adjectives and used in informal or formal settings. Yet, beyond this because they have a significantly different meaning (普遍 means “universal”,“general”, or “common”, versus 普通 which means “ordinary” or “average”) and as such used in different contexts to convey different meanings.











B2HSK4ASV4567
普遍 (pǔbiàn) 普通 (pǔtōng)
Meaning universal, general, common ordinary, average
Part of Speech adjective adjective
Formality flexible flexible