刮痧
guāshā
The English phrase "gua sha" is translated into Chinese as 刮痧 (guāshā).
刮痧 can be used as a noun to refer to the treatment itself or as a verb to describe the act of performing the scraping technique.
Meaning: treatment (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term is composed of 刮 (guā), which means to scrape or scrape off and 痧 (shā), which refers to the reddish-purple marks or 'sand-like' patterns appearing on the skin during the treatment.
How do you pronounce it?
guāshā
Did you know?
- While often seen as a beauty trend in the West, 刮痧 is traditionally used in China to treat common ailments like the common cold, fever and muscle stiffness.
- In some regions, a practitioner may use a 'coin' for 刮痧 because the edge of a coin provides the specific pressure and grip needed for the scraping motion.
- In traditional Chinese culture, the intensity of the reddish-purple marks left by 刮痧 is often used to judge the severity of the patient's illness.
Examples in context
- 这种刮痧很有用。Zhè zhǒng guāshā hěn yǒuyòng.This kind of gua sha is very useful.
- 她正在做刮痧。Tā zhèngzài zuò guāshā.She is undergoing gua sha treatment.
- 刮痧可以缓解疼痛。Guāshā kěyǐ huǎnjiě téngtòng.Gua sha can relieve pain.
Example conversation
Two friends are discussing health treatments at home.
- 浩然 Haoran雨婷，你背疼吗？Yǔtíng, nǐ bèi téng ma?Yuting, does your back hurt?
- 雨婷 Yuting挺疼的，怎么了？Tǐng téng de, zěnme le?It hurts quite a bit, why?
- 浩然 Haoran我可以帮你刮痧。Wǒ kěyǐ bāng nǐ guāshā.I can do gua sha for you.
- 雨婷 Yuting太谢谢你了，浩然。Tài xièxiè nǐ le, Hàorán.Thank you so much, Haoran.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gua sha” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
