'转发' (zhuǎn fā) is a compound verb meaning 'to forward' — specifically, to share or redistribute a message, post, article, or media file that you received from someone else. The first character 转 (zhuǎn) means 'to turn', 'to transfer', or 'to redirect', while the second character 发 (fā) means 'to send' or 'to issue'. Together, they convey the idea of redirecting something already sent — moving it onward to others. It’s extremely common in digital communication: on WeChat, Weibo, QQ, and other Chinese social platforms, users tap a '转发' button to pass content to their contacts or public feed.

This verb is almost exclusively used in modern, tech-mediated contexts — especially for sharing text messages, links, images, or videos. It is rarely used for physical objects or formal documents. As a transitive verb, it usually takes a direct object (e.g., a message, link, or post), and often appears with aspect particles like 了 or 过 to indicate completion. Its usage reflects the participatory nature of Chinese online culture, where information circulation relies heavily on user-driven forwarding.