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疼 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
疼
téng
(it) hurts
HSK 2, v, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1177, Easy
疼
téng
sore
HSK 2, v, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1177, Easy
疼
téng
to love dearly
HSK 2, v, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1177, Easy
疼
téng
ache, pain; to love dearly
HSK 2, v, 10 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1177, Easy
téng(teng2)teng T2
1(it) hurts
2sore
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March 24, 2026
疼téng(teng2)
The character 疼 (téng) primarily means 'to hurt' or 'to ache,' commonly used in medical contexts or when describing physical discomfort. It can also express deep affection or love for someone or something, conveying a sense of tenderness. For example, one might say '我很疼你' (wǒ hěn téng nǐ) to indicate deep care for a person.
Strokes10Radical疒Frequency#1177DifficultyEasy
Cultural note
In Chinese culture, expressing concern for someone's pain or discomfort can reflect deep care and affection, often leading to the phrase '疼爱' (téng'ài), which means to love dearly. This shows the intertwining of physical and emotional expressions in relationships.
Memory tip
Think of 疼 (téng) as a person holding their stomach in pain, illustrating both physical hurt and emotional attachment. The radical 疒 (sickness) hints at the concept of pain, while the phonetic component 'téng' sounds like 'tang' – imagine a 'tang' of sadness when you feel pain.
Meanings of 疼
téng(teng2)
1(it) hurts
2sore
Exercise 1 of 2
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About 疼
疼Simplified
10Strokes
疒Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#1177Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L3HSK 3.0L2ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1
Podcast: 疼
Podcast: 疼
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AI study notes for 疼
Quick Contrast
痛 (tòng) vs 疼 (téng): Use 疼 for a milder or more tender expression of pain, while 痛 indicates a stronger, more intense pain.
Usage Notes
When using 疼, remember to pair it with appropriate subjects (e.g., '我的头很疼' means 'My head hurts'). A common mistake is to use it incorrectly in formal contexts; it's more suitable for informal conversations. Pay attention to the tone, as the first tone is crucial for clarity.
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 3 word, 疼 connects with other expressions of emotion and sensation like 高兴 (gāoxìng, happy) and 痛 (tòng, pain). Students should focus on practicing sentences that combine 疼 with body parts to describe specific pains.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 疼 with 痛 (tòng), which is more general for 'pain.' For example, saying '我很痛' (wǒ hěn tòng) instead of '我很疼' (wǒ hěn téng) sounds awkward in casual conversation.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 疼
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Learning Lab
Knowing 疼 is seven skills, not one.
Its meaning, its character, its pinyin, its tone — hearing it, saying it, writing it. The Learning Lab measures each one from your own practice, on every word you study, so you see what you actually know rather than how much you have done.
疼 = 疒 + 冬. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 疼
IDS Structure⿸疒冬
疼Full character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
冬dong1
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 疼?
How to say (it) hurts in Chinese
“(it) hurts” in Chinese is疼téng
The character 疼 (téng) primarily means 'to hurt' or 'to ache,' commonly used in medical contexts or when describing physical discomfort. It can also express deep affection or love for someone or something, conveying a sense of tenderness. For example, one might say '我很疼你' (wǒ hěn téng nǐ) to indicate deep care for a person.
When to use 疼
When using 疼, remember to pair it with appropriate subjects (e.g., '我的头很疼' means 'My head hurts'). A common mistake is to use it incorrectly in formal contexts; it's more suitable for informal conversations. Pay attention to the tone, as the first tone is crucial for clarity.
疼 or something close to it
痛 (tòng) vs 疼 (téng): Use 疼 for a milder or more tender expression of pain, while 痛 indicates a stronger, more intense pain.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 疼 with 痛 (tòng), which is more general for 'pain.' For example, saying '我很痛' (wǒ hěn tòng) instead of '我很疼' (wǒ hěn téng) sounds awkward in casual conversation.
Write 疼
疼
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Grammar patterns of 疼
疼 functions as a verb — the action or state of the sentence. The Chinese order is Subject + Verb + Object (我吃饭). Negate it with 不 (habitual / future) or 没(有) (completed action). Add aspect markers like 了, 过, 着 directly after the verb. It carries 4 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The patterns below break down its most common sentence frames, with example sentences and practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) for each one.
Maria loved both the children. There was never a hint of favouritism.
10
桉树油可以很好地缓解肌肉的疼痛.
ān shù yóu kěyǐ hěn hǎo dì huǎnjiě jīròu de téngtòng.
Eucalyptus oil is good for easing muscular aches and pains.
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Cultural Notes for 疼
💡Did you know?
In Chinese, 疼 is often used in both physical and emotional contexts. For example, you can say '我爱你很疼', meaning 'I love you dearly'. This shows the dual nature of the word, which encompasses both pain and affection.
Word Family of 疼
Words containing this character9
疼téngsore
疼痛téngtòngpain
头疼tóuténgheadache頭疼
心疼xīnténgto love dearly
疼爱téngàito love dearly疼愛
生疼shēngténgextremely painful
酸疼suānténgsore
疼惜téngxīto cherish
偏疼piānténgto favor a junior
Exercise 1 of 4
Words with 疼
What does 疼痛 mean?
Frequently asked questions about 疼
Some synonyms for 疼 include 痛 (tòng), which also means 'pain,' and 恨 (hèn), which can express feelings of deep affection in a different context. It's essential to understand the nuances in usage based on the context.
Yes, 疼 can describe both physical pain and emotional affection. In medical contexts, it refers to pain or soreness, while in personal relationships, it conveys a sense of deep care or love for someone.
疼 (téng) means 'to hurt' or 'to be sore.' It can also express affection, as in 'to love dearly.' This character is commonly used in medical contexts to describe pain.
You can use 疼 in a sentence to describe physical pain, such as '我的头疼' (Wǒ de tóu téng), which translates to 'My head hurts.' It can also be used to express love, as in '我疼你' (Wǒ téng nǐ), meaning 'I love you dearly.'
You can say '我肚子疼' (wǒ dùzi téng) to mean 'My stomach hurts.'
Yes, 疼 can express emotional pain, such as missing someone or feeling heartache.
It's more commonly used in spoken language and informal writing; in formal contexts, you might choose other terms.
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