肿胀
zhǒngzhàng
In Mandarin, swelling is translated as 肿胀 (zhǒngzhàng).
肿胀 is used to describe the state of being swollen or the sensation of bloating, such as after an injury or an insect bite. You can describe the specific sensation of swelling by saying 肿胀感, which adds the character for 'feeling' or 'sensation'.
Meaning: anything swollen (noun)
What does it mean word for word?
The term 肿胀 is composed of two parts: 肿 (zhǒng), which means swollen or to swell and 胀 (zhàng), which means to swell or distend.
Which one should you use?
While 肿胀 is a formal noun or adjective, the single character 肿 is more commonly used in colloquial speech when describing a swollen body part. To describe a swelling that is specifically accompanied by redness, the term 红肿 is used. To emphasize that swelling has occurred recently, you can use 肿起来了.
How does it change in a sentence?
In the phrase 肿了, adding the particle 了 after the character 肿 indicates a change of state, such as a body part becoming swollen.
How do you pronounce it?
zhǒngzhàng
Did you know?
- When a person's face is extremely swollen, a native speaker might use the hyperbolic phrase 肿得像个猪头 (zhǒng de xiàng ge zhū tóu), meaning 'swollen like a pig's head'.
- The character 胀 is also used in the word for 'inflation' in economics, 通货膨胀, reflecting the idea of something expanding or swelling.
- In Chinese medicine, the concept of 'swelling' is often linked to 'heat' or 'dampness' in the body, which is why doctors might treat a 肿 (zhǒng) by 'clearing heat' rather than just treating the physical shape.
Examples in context
- 我的脚肿了。My feet are swollen.
- 我的眼睛肿胀了。My eyes are swollen.
- 我的手肿了。My hand is swollen.
- 我被蜜蜂蜇到了，腿肿起来了。I was stung by a bee, and my leg became swollen.
Example conversation
Zhiqiang and Xiaowen are at a clinic.
- 志强 Zhiqiang晓雯，你的腿怎么了？Xiǎowén, nǐ de tuǐ zěnme le?Xiaowen, what happened to your leg?
- 晓雯 Xiaowen我不小心扭到了，现在有肿胀。wǒ bù xiǎoxīn niǔ dào le, xiànzài yǒu zhǒngzhàng.I accidentally twisted it, and now there is swelling.
- 志强 Zhiqiang看起来很严重，快让医生看看。kàn qǐlái hěn yánzhòng, kuài ràng yīshēng kànkan.It looks serious, let the doctor see it quickly.
- 晓雯 Xiaowen好的，我现在就进去。hǎo de, wǒ xiànzài jiù jìnqù.Okay, I'm going in now.
