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头晕 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
头晕tóuyūndizzyHSK 7, unknown, 15 strokes, rank #8240, Very Hard
tóuyūn(tou2yun1)tou yun T2
  1. 1dizzy
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March 24, 2026

头晕(頭暈)tóuyūn(tou2yun1)

头晕 (tóu yūn) refers to the sensation of dizziness or lightheadedness, often associated with feelings of imbalance or disorientation. It is commonly used in medical contexts to describe a symptom that can arise from various conditions such as dehydration, low blood pressure, or vertigo.

Strokes15Frequency#8240DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural note

In Chinese culture, health is often linked to balance and harmony within the body, making dizziness a serious symptom in traditional medicine. It's common to hear people discuss their symptoms openly, reflecting the importance of health in daily conversations.

Memory tip

Imagine your head (头, tóu) spinning like a top (晕, yūn) when you're dizzy. Visualize a spinning top losing balance, representing the feeling of dizziness, which can help you remember both the meaning and the pronunciation.

Meanings of 头晕

tóuyūn(tou2yun1)
1dizzy
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About 头晕

头晕Simplified
頭暈Traditional
15Strokes
—Radical
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

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Podcast: 头晕

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AI study notes for 头晕

Quick Contrast

眩晕 (xuànyūn) refers specifically to vertigo, a more intense sensation of spinning or loss of balance, whereas 头晕 (tóuyūn) is a general term for dizziness.

Usage Notes

Be cautious when using this term in formal medical contexts; instead, prefer specific terms for diagnosis. Common collocations include '头晕得厉害' (tóu yūn de lì hài - very dizzy) or '我感到头晕' (wǒ gǎn dào tóu yūn - I feel dizzy).

HSK Study Tips

Although 头晕 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, it can be relevant for HSK 3 and above learners who are studying health-related vocabulary. Focus on how it's used in sentences describing symptoms.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 头晕 with 头痛 (tóu tòng - headache). For example, saying '我感到头痛' (wǒ gǎn dào tóu tòng) when they mean dizzy is incorrect; use '头晕' instead.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 头晕

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Component characters

头tóuhead
HSK 25 strokes大
View full entry
晕yūnconfused
HSK 610 strokes日
View full entry

How to say dizzy in Chinese

“dizzy” in Chinese is头晕tóuyūn

头晕 (tóu yūn) refers to the sensation of dizziness or lightheadedness, often associated with feelings of imbalance or disorientation. It is commonly used in medical contexts to describe a symptom that can arise from various conditions such as dehydration, low blood pressure, or vertigo.

When to use 头晕

Be cautious when using this term in formal medical contexts; instead, prefer specific terms for diagnosis. Common collocations include '头晕得厉害' (tóu yūn de lì hài - very dizzy) or '我感到头晕' (wǒ gǎn dào tóu yūn - I feel dizzy).

头晕 or something close to it

眩晕 (xuànyūn) refers specifically to vertigo, a more intense sensation of spinning or loss of balance, whereas 头晕 (tóuyūn) is a general term for dizziness.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 头晕 with 头痛 (tóu tòng - headache). For example, saying '我感到头痛' (wǒ gǎn dào tóu tòng) when they mean dizzy is incorrect; use '头晕' instead.

Write 头晕

头
晕

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Frequently asked questions about 头晕

Common causes include dehydration, low blood sugar, anxiety, or sudden changes in position.

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