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消化 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
Hanzi
Pinyin
English
Tags
消化
xiāohuà
to digest
HSK 5, vn, 14 strokes, rank #7013, Hard
消化
xiāohuà
digestion
HSK 5, vn, 14 strokes, rank #7013, Hard
消化
xiāohuà
digestive
HSK 5, vn, 14 strokes, rank #7013, Hard
xiāohuà(xiao1hua4)xiao hua T1
1to digest
2digestion
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March 24, 2026
消化xiāohuà(xiao1hua4)
消化 (xiāo huà) refers to the biological process of digestion, where food is broken down into nutrients for the body to absorb. It can also denote the figurative sense of processing information or experiences. Commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday conversations about health and wellness.
Strokes14Frequency#7013DifficultyHard
Cultural note
In traditional Chinese medicine, digestion is seen as a crucial aspect of overall health, often linked to the balance of Yin and Yang within the body. Thus, the concept of 消化 holds significant importance in discussions about diet and health.
Memory tip
Think of 消 (xiāo) as 'to eliminate' and 化 (huà) as 'to transform.' Imagine a stomach that eliminates food and transforms it into energy, helping you remember both the meaning and pronunciation.
Meanings of 消化
xiāohuà(xiao1hua4)
1to digest
2digestion
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 消化
消化Simplified
14Strokes
—Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#7013Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1
Podcast: 消化
Podcast: 消化
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AI study notes for 消化
Quick Contrast
消化 (xiāohuà) vs 吸收 (xīshōu) — use 消化 when emphasizing the breakdown of food, while 吸收 focuses on the absorption of nutrients.
Usage Notes
Be cautious with the context in which you use 消化; while it can refer to physical digestion, it may also metaphorically describe processing ideas. It's generally informal but can be used in more formal health discussions. Common collocations include '消化不良' (xiāo huà bù liáng) meaning 'indigestion.'
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK 5 word, 消化 connects well with other health-related vocabulary such as 健康 (jiàn kāng - health) and 饮食 (yǐn shí - diet). Focus on using it in both literal and figurative contexts to enhance your fluency.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 消化 with 消灭 (xiāo miè), which means 'to eliminate' or 'to wipe out.' Make sure to use 消化 specifically for digestion contexts. For example, saying '我想消灭我的食物' (I want to eliminate my food) is incorrect; it should be '我想消化我的食物' (I want to digest my food).
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 消化
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Knowing 消化 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.
消化 (xiāo huà) refers to the biological process of digestion, where food is broken down into nutrients for the body to absorb. It can also denote the figurative sense of processing information or experiences. Commonly used in both medical contexts and everyday conversations about health and wellness.
When to use 消化
Be cautious with the context in which you use 消化; while it can refer to physical digestion, it may also metaphorically describe processing ideas. It's generally informal but can be used in more formal health discussions. Common collocations include '消化不良' (xiāo huà bù liáng) meaning 'indigestion.'
消化 or something close to it
消化 (xiāohuà) vs 吸收 (xīshōu) — use 消化 when emphasizing the breakdown of food, while 吸收 focuses on the absorption of nutrients.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 消化 with 消灭 (xiāo miè), which means 'to eliminate' or 'to wipe out.' Make sure to use 消化 specifically for digestion contexts. For example, saying '我想消灭我的食物' (I want to eliminate my food) is incorrect; it should be '我想消化我的食物' (I want to digest my food).
Write 消化
消
化
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Grammar patterns of 消化
消化 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 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.
Exercise 1 of 4
Fill the gap
Type the missing word. Pinyin works; then pick the character.
“____不良”是个笼统的术语，可以指各种胃部不适。
Indigestion is a catch-all term for any kind of stomach distress.
