Listen to the audio pronunciation 3 times to gain XP
March 24, 2026
痒yǎng(yang3)
The character 痒 (yǎng) means 'to itch' or 'to tickle.' It is commonly used in contexts related to skin sensations, such as allergies or insect bites. The nuance of this word can vary, as it can describe both mild tickling sensations and more severe itching.
Strokes11Radical疒Frequency#5344DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In traditional Chinese medicine, the sensation of itching can be linked to imbalances in the body's internal systems, often associated with heat or dampness. This perspective on health highlights the importance of skin health in Chinese culture.
Memory Tip
Imagine a person feeling an itch on their arm and saying ‘yǎng’ while scratching it. The character 痒 is composed of the radical 疒 (illness) on the left, suggesting discomfort, and the component 羊 (sheep) on the right, which you can visualize as a sheep trying to scratch an itch. This imagery helps link the character's form to its meaning.
Meanings of 痒
yǎng(yang3)
1to itch
2to tickle
Exercise 1 of 2
Listen & Choose the Meaning
Choose the correct answer:
About 痒
痒Simplified
11Strokes
疒Radical
形容词xíngróngcíadjective (adj.)Part of Speech
#5344Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L6AdvancedCEFRC2
Podcast: 痒
Podcast: 痒
Listen to Jason & Amy break down this word for you
New here?
AI Study Notes for 痒
Quick Contrast
瘙痒 (sāoyǎng) - use 痒 (yǎng) for general itching, while 瘙痒 (sāoyǎng) often implies a more intense or specific type of itch, typically associated with skin conditions.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 痒 (yǎng) with similar-sounding words. It is informal and typically used in everyday conversations, such as when describing sensations. Common collocations include 痒痒 (yǎngyǎng), meaning 'itchy' or 'to have an itch.'
HSK Study Tips
As an HSK Level 5 word, 痒 connects with other health-related vocabulary, like 疼 (téng - pain) and 病 (bìng - illness). Students should focus on context and usage in sentences to strengthen their understanding.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 痒 (yǎng) with 痛 (tòng - pain). For example, saying '我觉得痛' (Wǒ juédé tòng) instead of '我觉得痒' (Wǒ juédé yǎng) when describing an itch is incorrect. Always use 痒 for itching sensations.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 痒
Premium — Locked
AI tone practice
Pro
Drill the tone of 痒 with AI-powered exercises, get instant feedback, and earn XP toward mastery. Interactive tone practice is part of Pro.
Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 羊 represents the sound. Simplified form of 癢.
1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
2The sound half羊 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
3The giveawaysickness
4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 痒? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.
Exercise 1 of 1
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 痒?
Decomposition of 痒
IDS Structure⿸疒羊
痒Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
羊Yang2
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Identify the Components
Which of these is a component of 痒?
How to say to itch in Chinese
“to itch” in Chinese is痒yǎng
The character 痒 (yǎng) means 'to itch' or 'to tickle.' It is commonly used in contexts related to skin sensations, such as allergies or insect bites. The nuance of this word can vary, as it can describe both mild tickling sensations and more severe itching.
When to use 痒
Be careful not to confuse 痒 (yǎng) with similar-sounding words. It is informal and typically used in everyday conversations, such as when describing sensations. Common collocations include 痒痒 (yǎngyǎng), meaning 'itchy' or 'to have an itch.'
痒 or something close to it
瘙痒 (sāoyǎng) - use 痒 (yǎng) for general itching, while 瘙痒 (sāoyǎng) often implies a more intense or specific type of itch, typically associated with skin conditions.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 痒 (yǎng) with 痛 (tòng - pain). For example, saying '我觉得痛' (Wǒ juédé tòng) instead of '我觉得痒' (Wǒ juédé yǎng) when describing an itch is incorrect. Always use 痒 for itching sensations.
Write 痒
痒
New here? to save your writing progress and earn XP.
Practice writing 痒 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Write correctly 3 times to earn XP
Grammar Patterns of 痒
痒 functions as an adjective. In Chinese it behaves like a stative verb: place it directly after the subject without 是 (我很高，not 我是高). Use 不 to negate (不高) and pair it with 很 in plain affirmative sentences. It carries 2 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
Complete the Sentence
它挠得我后脖梗儿的绒毛直____痒。
It tickled the hairs on the back of my neck.
Example Sentences for 痒 (10)
Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
它挠得我后脖梗儿的绒毛直痒痒。
tā náo dé wǒ hòu bó gěng ér de róng máo zhí yǎng yǎng。
It tickled the hairs on the back of my neck.
2
我的皮肤又硬又粗糙，而且还很痒。
wǒ de pí fū yòu yìng yòu cū cāo， ， ér qiě huán hěn。
