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March 24, 2026
肿(腫)zhǒng(zhong3)
The character 肿 (zhǒng) refers to the state of being swollen or an abnormal enlargement of body tissues. It is often used in medical contexts to describe conditions like tumors or swelling due to injury or inflammation, reflecting bodily changes and health issues.
Strokes8Radical⺼Frequency#6475DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, body swelling is often viewed as a sign of imbalances in the body's Qi. Understanding terms like 肿 can help learners appreciate how health and wellness are perceived in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a balloon (肿) that has been overfilled and is swelling up. The shape of the character can be seen as the balloon expanding, and the 'zh' sound resembles the hissing noise of air escaping when a balloon is overinflated.
Meanings of 肿
zhǒng(zhong3)
1to swell
2swelling
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 肿
肿Simplified
腫Traditional
8Strokes
⺼Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#6475Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L6IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRC1
Podcast: 肿
Podcast: 肿
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AI Study Notes for 肿
Quick Contrast
肿 (zhǒng) vs 膨 (péng) — use 肿 for abnormal swelling due to medical conditions, while 膨 refers to swelling due to expansion or inflation.
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine a balloon (肿) that has been overfilled and is swelling up. The shape of the character can be seen as the balloon expanding, and the 'zh' sound resembles the hissing noise of air escaping when a balloon is overinflated.
Usage Notes
肿 is commonly used in medical settings, so it carries a more formal tone. Learners should be careful not to confuse it with other similar terms like 膨胀 (péngzhàng), which means 'to expand' in a more general context. Remember to use the correct tone (zhǒng) to avoid miscommunication.
HSK Study Tips
Though 肿 is not included in the official HSK levels, it can be a useful term for learners at HSK 4 and above, especially those interested in health-related vocabulary. Focus on understanding how it combines with other characters to describe conditions like 肿瘤 (tumor) or 水肿 (edema).
Cultural Note
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, body swelling is often viewed as a sign of imbalances in the body's Qi. Understanding terms like 肿 can help learners appreciate how health and wellness are perceived in Chinese culture.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 肿 with similar sounding words. For example, using 'zhǒng' instead of 'zhòng' (重, meaning 'heavy'). Always verify the context of usage to ensure clarity.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 肿
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Grammar Patterns of 肿
肿 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 3 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.
In very severe cases, bunions may be surgically removed.
10
肺气肿病人能做些什么来帮助自己恢复健康？
fèi qì zhǒng bìng rén néng zuò xiē shí mó lái bāng zhù zì jǐ huī fù jiàn kāng？
What can a patient with emphysema do to help themselves?
Cultural Notes for 肿
🏮Cultural insight
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, body swelling is often viewed as a sign of imbalances in the body's Qi. Understanding terms like 肿 can help learners appreciate how health and wellness are perceived in Chinese culture.
Word Family of 肿
Words Containing This Character20
肿瘤zhǒngliútumor腫瘤
肿zhǒngto swell腫
肿胀swelling腫脹
水肿dropsy水腫
囊肿cyst (med.)囊腫
肿块swelling腫塊
血肿hematoma血腫
恶性肿瘤malignant tumor惡性腫瘤
肿大swelling腫大
浮肿swollen浮腫
红肿inflamed紅腫
臃肿obese臃腫
肺水肿pulmonary edema肺水腫
消肿detumescence消腫
脓肿abscess膿腫
鼻青脸肿badly battered鼻青臉腫
肺气肿emphysema肺氣腫
脑水肿cerebral edema腦水腫
良性肿瘤benign tumor良性腫瘤
打肿脸充胖子lit. to swell one's face up by slapping it to look imposing (idiom); to seek to impress by feigning more than one's abilities打腫臉充胖子
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 肿瘤 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 肿
肿 is pronounced as zhǒng, with a third tone.
Yes, but it's more common in medical contexts rather than casual conversation.
You can find it in phrases like 肿瘤 (tumor) or 水肿 (swelling due to fluid retention).
