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March 24, 2026
咳嗽késou(ke2sou5)
咳嗽 (késòu) means 'to cough' in Mandarin. It is commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday conversations, especially when discussing health issues or symptoms of illness. The word conveys the physical act of coughing, which can be a sign of various conditions.
Strokes23Frequency#7744DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, coughing is often associated with the changing seasons, especially in spring and fall when allergies or colds are more common. Traditional remedies, such as herbal teas, are frequently discussed in relation to 咳嗽.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person coughing so hard that it sounds like 'ke' (the sound of a cough) followed by 'sou' (a sound of discomfort). Visualize them holding their throat while 'sounding' it out to reinforce the action associated with the word.
Meanings of 咳嗽
késou(ke2sou5)
1to cough
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About 咳嗽
咳嗽Simplified
23Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#7744Frequency Rank
阵Measure Word
HSK 2.0L4HSK 3.0L4AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 咳嗽
Podcast: 咳嗽
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AI Study Notes for 咳嗽
Usage Notes
Be careful with the tone; the first syllable 'ke' is pronounced with a rising tone, while the second 'sou' has a falling tone. It’s common to use 咳嗽 in both informal and semi-formal settings, but be cautious using it in very formal medical contexts where specific terms might be preferred. A common collocation is '咳嗽得很厉害' (coughing very badly).
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 4 word, 咳嗽 connects to health and body-related vocabulary. Students should practice using it in sentences discussing symptoms or health issues, as well as combining it with adjectives or adverbs to describe the severity or frequency of the cough.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse the tones, pronouncing it as 'késuo' instead of 'késòu'. Additionally, some might use it incorrectly in past contexts, saying '我咳嗽了' (I coughed) instead of the correct '我咳嗽过' (I have coughed).
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Pronunciation of 咳嗽
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咳嗽 (késòu) means 'to cough' in Mandarin. It is commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday conversations, especially when discussing health issues or symptoms of illness. The word conveys the physical act of coughing, which can be a sign of various conditions.
When to use 咳嗽
Be careful with the tone; the first syllable 'ke' is pronounced with a rising tone, while the second 'sou' has a falling tone. It’s common to use 咳嗽 in both informal and semi-formal settings, but be cautious using it in very formal medical contexts where specific terms might be preferred. A common collocation is '咳嗽得很厉害' (coughing very badly).
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse the tones, pronouncing it as 'késuo' instead of 'késòu'. Additionally, some might use it incorrectly in past contexts, saying '我咳嗽了' (I coughed) instead of the correct '我咳嗽过' (I have coughed).
Write 咳嗽
咳
嗽
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Grammar Patterns of 咳嗽
咳嗽 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. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
