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March 24, 2026
恙yàng(yang4)
The character 恙 (yàng) refers to an illness or sickness, often indicating a state of indisposition or discomfort. It is used in more formal or literary contexts, rather than everyday conversation, to describe ailments or conditions that affect health.
Strokes10Radical心Frequency#42523DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, understanding illness is often tied to balance in the body, and the term 恙 can reflect deeper cultural beliefs about health and wellness, emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches.
Memory Tip
Imagine a sick person lying in bed, with a 'yawning' mouth, representing their illness. The character 恙 resembles a person lying down with a 'heart' (忄) that is troubled, illustrating the emotional and physical burden of sickness.
Meanings of 恙
yàng(yang4)
1illness, sickness; indisposition
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 恙
恙Simplified
10Strokes
心Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
Podcast: 恙
Podcast: 恙
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AI Study Notes for 恙
Usage Notes
Learners often confuse 恙 with similar words for common ailments like 病 (bìng), which is more general. Use 恙 in formal writing or discussions about health, and remember it is less common in daily speech. Tone is also important; ensure the correct third tone is used.
HSK Study Tips
Although 恙 is not part of the HSK vocabulary, it connects to other health-related words like 病 (bìng) and 疾病 (jíbìng). Focus on understanding its more formal usage and how it fits within discussions about health in Chinese literature.
Common Mistakes
Learners may mistakenly use 恙 in casual conversation, where 病 or 疾病 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我有恙' instead of '我有病' is incorrect; the latter is the correct usage.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 恙
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Drill the tone of 恙 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 心 represents the meaning and 羊 represents the sound.
1The meaning half心 carries the sense.
2The sound half羊 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawayheart
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 恙? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 恙?
Decomposition of 恙
IDS Structure⿱羊心
恙Full Character
=
羊Yang2
top
心xin1
bottom
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 恙?
How to say illness, sickness; indisposition in Chinese
“illness, sickness; indisposition” in Chinese is恙yàng
The character 恙 (yàng) refers to an illness or sickness, often indicating a state of indisposition or discomfort. It is used in more formal or literary contexts, rather than everyday conversation, to describe ailments or conditions that affect health.
When to use 恙
Learners often confuse 恙 with similar words for common ailments like 病 (bìng), which is more general. Use 恙 in formal writing or discussions about health, and remember it is less common in daily speech. Tone is also important; ensure the correct third tone is used.
What learners get wrong
Learners may mistakenly use 恙 in casual conversation, where 病 or 疾病 would be more appropriate. For example, saying '我有恙' instead of '我有病' is incorrect; the latter is the correct usage.
Write 恙
恙
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Practice writing 恙 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
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Grammar Patterns of 恙
恙 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
Exercise 1 of 4
Complete the Sentence
飞行员从飞机中弹出，安然无____。
The pilot ejected from the plane and escaped injury.
