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痛 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
痛tòngacheHSK 4, a, 12 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1311, Medium
痛tòngpainHSK 4, a, 12 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1311, Medium
痛tòngsorrowHSK 4, a, 12 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1311, Medium
痛tòngdeeplyHSK 4, a, 12 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1311, Medium
痛tòngthoroughlyHSK 4, a, 12 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1311, Medium
痛tòngache, pain; bitterness, sorrow; deeply, thoroughlyHSK 4, a, 12 strokes, radical 疒, rank #1311, Medium
tòng(tong4) T4
  1. 1ache
  2. 2pain
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March 24, 2026
痛tòng(tong4)

The character 痛 (tòng) refers to physical pain or discomfort, as well as emotional sorrow or distress. It is commonly used in medical contexts to describe various types of aches or pains, as well as in expressions of deep sorrow or regret.

Strokes12Radical疒Frequency#1311DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of pain is often linked to the balance of Yin and Yang, with treatment focusing on restoring harmony in the body. This cultural understanding can deepen the appreciation of the term 痛 in medical discussions.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person holding their stomach in pain, which visually resembles the character 痛. The left side (疒) represents illness, while the right side (痛) can be thought of as a person doubled over in anguish. The sound 'tòng' can be remembered by associating it with 'thong', which sounds similar and can evoke a painful pinch.

Meanings of 痛

tòng(tong4)
1ache
2pain
Exercise 1 of 2

Listen & Choose the Meaning

Choose the correct answer:

About 痛

痛Simplified
12Strokes
疒Radical
副形词xíngróngcíadj-adverb (adj.-adv.)Part of Speech
#1311Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4ElementaryTOCFLL3HSKKL2CEFRA2

Podcast: 痛

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Podcast: 痛

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AI Study Notes for 痛

Quick Contrast

痛 (tòng) vs 疼 (téng) — use 痛 for more intense or severe pain, while 疼 is often used for milder discomfort.

Memory Mnemonic

Imagine a person holding their stomach in pain, which visually resembles the character 痛. The left side (疒) represents illness, while the right side (痛) can be thought of as a person doubled over in anguish. The sound 'tòng' can be remembered by associating it with 'thong', which sounds similar and can evoke a painful pinch.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with the tones when using 痛, as it is pronounced with a fourth tone (tòng). Common collocations include '头痛' (tóutòng - headache) and '心痛' (xīntòng - heartache). It's generally informal, used in both spoken and written contexts.

HSK Study Tips

Although 痛 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, it is a useful term for learners at an intermediate level who are expanding their vocabulary about health and emotions. Students should practice using it in sentences related to feelings and pain.

Cultural Note

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of pain is often linked to the balance of Yin and Yang, with treatment focusing on restoring harmony in the body. This cultural understanding can deepen the appreciation of the term 痛 in medical discussions.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 痛 (tòng) with 痒 (yǎng), which means 'itchy'. For example, saying '我痛' (wǒ tòng - I am painful) instead of '我痛苦' (wǒ tòngkǔ - I am suffering) can lead to misunderstanding. Ensure you use the correct context when expressing pain or discomfort.

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 痛

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Etymology of 痛

Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声字)~80-90% of characters
Explanation

Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 甬 represents the sound.

Memory Hint

sickness

Semantic (meaning)疒
+
Phonetic (sound)甬
Learn more about Phono-semantic (形声字) characters
Exercise 1 of 1

Character Formation Type

What type of character formation is 痛?

Decomposition of 痛

IDS Structure⿸疒甬
痛Full Character
=
疒ne4
enclosing
甬tong3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2

Identify the Components

Which of these is a component of 痛?

Write 痛

痛

Practice writing 痛 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.

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Grammar Patterns of 痛

痛 functions as an adverb — it modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb. In Chinese, adverbs sit BEFORE the verb they modify (我也去, 他常常迟到), never after it. It carries 6 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.

Related grammar lessons2
Exercise 1 of 4

Complete the Sentence

我感觉到后腰一阵剧____。

I felt a sharp pain in my lower back.

Common Confusions with 痛

痛vs通
tōng

Similar sound but different meaning.

Exercise 1 of 1

Spot the Difference

Which character means "ache"?

or

Usage Notes for 痛

Misuse in expressionsCommon Error

Learners often confuse 痛 with other terms for pain. Ensure to use 痛 when referring to physical pain or sorrow.

1

我痛得厉害。

I am in great pain.

Exercise 1 of 1

Fill in the Blank

我____得厉害。

I am in great pain.

Example Sentences for 痛 (10)

Listen to all sentences once to receive XP
1
我感觉到后腰一阵剧痛。

wǒ gǎn jué dào hòu yāo yī zhèn jù tòng。

I felt a sharp pain in my lower back.
2
我近来双手一直疼痛麻木。

wǒ jìn lái shuāng shǒu yī zhí téng tòng má mù。

I have recently been suffering from pain and numbness in my hands.
3
当你从内心深处找到一种可以忍受一切痛苦的坚强力量时，你的成长历程就会出现飞跃。

dāng nǐ cóng nèi xīn shēn chǔ zhǎo dào yī zhǒng kě yǐ rěn shòu yī qiē tòng kǔ de jiān qiáng lì liáng shí， ， nǐ de chéng cháng lì chéng jiù huì chū xiàn fēi。

The turning point in the process of growing up is when you discover the core of strength within you that survives all hurt.--Max Lerner
4
这种植物被用作治疗神经痛时的镇静药。

zhè zhǒng zhí wù bèi yòng zuò zhì liáo shén jīng tòng shí de zhèn jìng yào。

The plant acts as a sedative in treating neuralgia.
5
不骗你，离开你让我痛苦万分。

bù piàn nǐ， ， lí kāi nǐ ràng wǒ tòng kǔ wàn。

Don't think it hasn't torn me apart to be away from you.
6
即使你只感到很轻微的胸部疼痛，也不要继续锻炼。

jí shǐ nǐ zhī gǎn dào hěn qīng wēi de xiōng bù téng tòng， ， yě bù yào jì xù duàn。

Never keep on exercising if you have even the slightest chest pain.
7
他是伊娃最深恶痛绝的那种人中的典型。

tā shì yī wá zuì shēn è tòng jué de nà zhǒng rén zhōng de diǎn xíng。

He was the quintessence of all that Eva most deeply loathed.
8
这远不如戴维所料想的那么痛苦。

zhè yuǎn bù rú dài wéi suǒ liào xiǎng de nà mó tòng kǔ。

It was nowhere near as painful as David had expected.
9
关节炎的新疗法可能是止痛药之外的另一种选择。

guān jié yán de xīn liáo fǎ kě néng shì zhǐ tòng yào zhī wài de lìng yī zhǒng xuǎn zé。

New ways to treat arthritis may provide an alternative to painkillers.
10
他突然感到腹部一阵剧烈疼痛。

tā tū rán gǎn dào fù bù yī zhèn jù liè téng tòng。

He was struck by a stabbing pain in his midriff.

Cultural Notes for 痛

🏮Cultural insight

In traditional Chinese medicine, the concept of pain is often linked to the balance of Yin and Yang, with treatment focusing on restoring harmony in the body. This cultural understanding can deepen the appreciation of the term 痛 in medical discussions.

Word Family of 痛

Words Containing This Character20
痛苦tòngkǔpain
痛tòngache
疼痛téngtòngpain
头痛to have a headache頭痛
痛快tòngkuàidelighted
伤痛sorrow傷痛
悲痛bēitònggrieved
痛恨to detest
心痛heartache
止痛药painkiller止痛藥
腹痛bellyache
痛楚pain
痛心tòngxīngrieved
止痛to relieve pain
痛哭to cry bitterly
镇痛analgesic鎮痛
酸痛to ache
病痛slight illness
胃痛stomachache
惨痛cǎntòngbitter慘痛
Exercise 1 of 4

Compound Meaning

What does 痛苦 mean?

Frequently Asked Questions about 痛

Yes, 痛 (tòng) can be used to express emotional pain or sorrow. For instance, you might say '我痛苦的心情' (Wǒ tòngkǔ de xīnqíng), which translates to 'my sorrowful feelings.' It highlights the emotional depth associated with the word.