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膛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
膛tángchest (of body)ng, 15 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #7881, Hard
膛tánghollow spaceng, 15 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #7881, Hard
膛tángthroatng, 15 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #7881, Hard
膛tángchest cavity; hollow spaceng, 15 strokes, radical ⺼, rank #7881, Hard
táng(tang2)tang T2
  1. 1chest (of body)
  2. 2hollow space
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March 24, 2026

膛táng(tang2)

The character 膛 (táng) refers to the 'chest' or 'chest cavity' in a body, specifically indicating the space where vital organs are located. It can also imply a hollow space or cavity more generally, making it applicable in various medical or anatomical contexts.

Strokes15Radical⺼Frequency#7881DifficultyHard
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of 'chest' is often associated with the flow of Qi and the health of the lungs, emphasizing the importance of this area in overall well-being.

Memory Tip

Imagine your chest as a 'tang' (sounds like 'tang' in 'tangy') that holds all your vital organs, like a fruit basket. The character 膛 has the radical 月 (yuè) which relates to the body, reminding you that this 'tang' is related to your physical form.

Meanings of 膛

táng(tang2)
1chest (of body)
2hollow space
Exercise 1 of 2

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About 膛

膛Simplified
15Strokes
⺼Radical
名语素míngcínoun root (n.root)Part of Speech
#7881Frequency Rank

Podcast: 膛

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Podcast: 膛

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AI Study Notes for 膛

Usage Notes

When using 膛, it's important to specify the context since it can refer to different types of 'chests' or cavities. It's more commonly used in medical or anatomical discussions, so it may feel formal compared to colloquial terms for the chest. Be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

HSK Study Tips

Since 膛 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, focus on related anatomical terms and characters such as 胸 (xiōng, meaning 'chest') that are frequently encountered. Understanding the radicals can also help contextualize its use in medical terminology.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 膛 with 胸 (xiōng), which is more commonly used in everyday conversation to refer to the chest. For example, saying '我有痛在膛' (wǒ yǒu tòng zài táng) instead of '我有痛在胸' (wǒ yǒu tòng zài xiōng) can sound overly formal or incorrect.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 膛

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Etymology of 膛

Formation TypeIdeographic 指事
六书 ClassificationIdeograph (指事字)~2% of characters
Memory Hint

A hall 堂 in one's chest ⺼; 堂 also provides the pronunciation

Learn more about Ideograph (指事字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Origin

What kind of character is 膛?

Decomposition of 膛

IDS Structure⿰⺼堂
膛Full Character
=
⺼rou4
left
堂tang2
right
Exercise 1 of 2

Parts

Which of these is part of 膛?

How to say chest (of body) in Chinese

“chest (of body)” in Chinese is膛táng

The character 膛 (táng) refers to the 'chest' or 'chest cavity' in a body, specifically indicating the space where vital organs are located. It can also imply a hollow space or cavity more generally, making it applicable in various medical or anatomical contexts.

When to use 膛

When using 膛, it's important to specify the context since it can refer to different types of 'chests' or cavities. It's more commonly used in medical or anatomical discussions, so it may feel formal compared to colloquial terms for the chest. Be cautious with tone, as mispronouncing it can lead to confusion with similar-sounding words.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 膛 with 胸 (xiōng), which is more commonly used in everyday conversation to refer to the chest. For example, saying '我有痛在膛' (wǒ yǒu tòng zài táng) instead of '我有痛在胸' (wǒ yǒu tòng zài xiōng) can sound overly formal or incorrect.

Write 膛

膛

Practice writing 膛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 膛

膛 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). It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.

Exercise 1 of 4

Fill the gap

Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.

他叉开两条细腿，猛地挺起胸____。

He set his skinny legs apart and threw back his shoulders.

Example Sentences for 膛 (8)

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1
他叉开两条细腿，猛地挺起胸膛。

tā chā kāi liǎng tiáo xì tuǐ， ， měng dì tǐng qǐ xiōng。

He set his skinny legs apart and threw back his shoulders.
2
又射偏了几次之后,他们终于把两支箭射入了狮子的胸膛.

yòu shè piān le jī cì zhī hòu, , tā mén zhōng yú bǎ liǎng zhī jiàn shè rù le shī zǐ de xiōng.

After more misses, they finally put two arrows into the lion's chest.
3
他带了一把子弹上膛的枪。

tā dài le yī bǎ zǐ dàn shàng táng de qiāng。

He carried a loaded gun.
4
余烬仍在炉膛里发出暗淡的光。

yú jìn réng zài lú táng lǐ fā chū àn dàn de guāng。

The embers still glowed in the hearth.
5
他宽阔的胸膛上长出许多毛.

tā kuān kuò de xiōng táng shàng cháng chū xǔ duō máo.

Abundant hair sprouted from his broad chest.
6
她的教练在枪膛里装上了实弹。

tā de jiào liàn zài qiāng táng lǐ zhuāng shàng le shí dàn。

Her instructor plugged live bullets into the gun's chamber.
7
刀子刺入了他的胸膛。

dāo zǐ cì rù le tā de xiōng táng。

The knife had penetrated his chest.
8
他抄着手挺起胸膛来.

tā chāo zháo shǒu tǐng qǐ xiōng táng lái.

Placing his hands in his sleeves, he raised his chest.

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Word Family of 膛

Words Containing This Character7
胸膛xiōngtángchest
膛tángthroat
枪膛barrel of a gun槍膛
炉膛furnace chamber爐膛
上膛roof of the mouth
脸膛facial contour臉膛
膛线rifling (helical grooves inside the barrel of a gun)膛線
Exercise 1 of 4

Words with 膛

What does 胸膛 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 膛

膛 refers to the chest cavity or space within the chest where vital organs are located.

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