Meanings of 呛
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About 呛
Podcast: 呛
Podcast: 呛
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AI Study Notes for 呛
呛 (qiāng) vs 嗆 (qiàng) — use 呛 for choking or irritation, 嗆 for scolding or taunting.
Imagine a person inhaling smoke and suddenly choking, with the sound 'qiāng' mimicking the cough. The character 呛 has a mouth (口) component that connects to the idea of speaking or shouting when one is irritated. Picture a scenario where someone yells out in distress because of choking on smoke.
Be cautious with the tone; 'qiāng' has a first tone, which can be easily confused with the fourth tone (qiàng), meaning 'to shout'. This word is more commonly used in informal contexts, particularly in conversation, and may not be appropriate in formal writing. Common collocations include 呛烟 (choking on smoke) and 呛到 (to choke on).
While 呛 is not included in the HSK vocabulary lists, students at the intermediate level should focus on its usage in daily conversations and its synonyms. Connecting it with words related to health and environment can enhance understanding, such as 烟 (smoke) and 刺激 (irritate).
In Chinese culture, the experience of choking on smoke is often associated with the widespread use of incense in traditional ceremonies, making this character relevant during festivals or commemorative events. It reflects a common concern over air quality, especially in urban areas.
Learners often confuse 呛 (qiāng) with its homophones and mix its meaning with related terms. For instance, using it incorrectly in a sentence like '我呛水了' (I choked water) should be corrected to '我呛到了水' (I choked on water).
Pronunciation of 呛
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Etymology of 呛
Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 仓 represents the sound. Simplified form of 嗆.
mouth
Character Formation Type
What type of character formation is 呛?
Decomposition of 呛
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Write 呛
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Practice writing 呛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Grammar Patterns of 呛
呛 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 8 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.
Complete the Sentence
滚滚浓烟盘旋翻腾，恶臭味____得她喘不过气来。
Dense smoke swirled and billowed, its rank fumes choking her.
Example Sentences for 呛 (6)
Cultural Notes for 呛
In Chinese culture, the experience of choking on smoke is often associated with the widespread use of incense in traditional ceremonies, making this character relevant during festivals or commemorative events. It reflects a common concern over air quality, especially in urban areas.
Word Family of 呛
Compound Meaning
What does 呛 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 呛
In colloquial Taiwanese Mandarin, 呛 can mean to scold or shout at someone, often in a heated argument.