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消化 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
消化xiāohuàto digestHSK 5, vn, rank #7013, Medium
消化xiāohuàdigestionHSK 5, vn, rank #7013, Medium
消化xiāohuàdigestiveHSK 5, vn, rank #7013, Medium
xiāohuà(xiao1hua4) T1
  1. 1to digest
  2. 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.

Frequency#7013DifficultyMedium
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

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About 消化

消化Simplified
—Strokes
—Radical
名动词dòngcíverb-noun (v.-n.)Part of Speech
#7013Frequency Rank
HSK 2.0L5HSK 3.0L5IntermediateTOCFLL4HSKKL2CEFRB1

Podcast: 消化

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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.

Memory Mnemonic

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.

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.

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.

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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Component Characters

消xiāoto disappear
HSK 710 strokes氵
View full entry
化huàto make into
HSK 54 strokes匕
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Write 消化

消
化

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

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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

Complete the Sentence

“____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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1
“消化不良”是个笼统的术语，可以指各种胃部不适。

“ “ xiāo huà bù” liáng ” shì gè lóng tǒng de， shù yǔ ， kě yǐ zhǐ gè zhǒng wèi。

Indigestion is a catch-all term for any kind of stomach distress.
2
消化的食物中的营养成分能够被吸收到血液中去。

xiāo huà de shí wù zhōng de yíng yǎng chéng fēn néng gòu bèi xī shōu dào xiě yè zhōng qù。

Nutrients from the digested food can be absorbed into the blood.
3
这种茶可助消化.

zhè zhǒng chá kě zhù xiāo huà.

This kind of tea acts as an aid to digestion.
4
油炸食品非常难消化。

yóu zhà shí pǐn fēi cháng nán xiāo huà。

Fried food is very indigestible.
5
恋爱决不至于因饿而死,而是多数因消化不良而死.

liàn ài jué bù zhì yú yīn è ér sǐ, , ér shì duō shù yīn xiāo huà bù liáng ér.

Love never dies of starvation but often of indigestion.
6
吃得太饱会加重消化系统的负担。

chī dé tài bǎo huì jiā zhòng xiāo huà xì tǒng de fù dān。

Large meals overload the digestive system.
7
上饭馆吃过油腻食物之后,他常受消化不良之苦.

shàng fàn guǎn chī guò yóu nì shí wù zhī hòu, , tā cháng shòu xiāo huà bù liáng zhī.

He was prone to indigestion after rich restaurant meals.
8
葡萄酒或含糖饮料抑制消化。

pú táo jiǔ huò hán táng yǐn liào yì zhì xiāo huà。

Wine or sugary drinks inhibit digestion.
9
这种消化液(每天约分泌1品脱)流入我的十二指肠, 把酸中和了.

zhè zhǒng xiāo huà yè( ( měi tiān yuē fēn1 mì 1) pǐn tuō ) liú rù wǒ de shí, èr zhǐ cháng , bǎ.

This juice - about a quart a day -- pours into my duodenum, neutralizing acids.
10
我需要一种[一些]解酸药医治消化不良.

wǒ xū yào yī zhǒng[ [ yī] xiē ] jiě suān yào yī zhì xiāo huà.

I need an / some antacid to cure my indigestion.

Cultural Notes for 消化

🏮Cultural insight

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.

Frequently Asked Questions about 消化

No, it can also be used in everyday conversation to describe how one processes information or experiences.