Meanings of 消化
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AI Study Notes for 消化
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.
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.'
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.
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).
Pronunciation of 消化
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Component Characters
How to say to digest in Chinese
“to digest” in Chinese is消化
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
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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.
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“____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.
Example Sentences for 消化 (10)
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Frequently Asked Questions about 消化
No, it can also be used in everyday conversation to describe how one processes information or experiences.
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