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March 24, 2026
咳hāi(hai1)
The character 咳 (hāi) primarily means 'to cough' and can also represent the sound made while sighing. It is commonly used in both medical contexts and casual conversations to express discomfort or a reaction to something unpleasant, such as dust or smoke.
Strokes9Radical口Frequency#6904DifficultyHard
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, coughing can often be a topic of concern, reflecting the value placed on health. Additionally, it is common to say 'excuse me' after coughing in social situations as a sign of politeness.
Memory Tip
Imagine the sound 'hāi' pronounced like a sigh of relief after a cough. The character 咳 resembles a mouth (口) making a sound (the radical for sound in the top part), emphasizing the act of coughing or sighing.
Meanings of 咳
hāi(hai1)
primary
1sound of sighing
2cough
Exercise 1 of 3
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About 咳
咳Simplified
9Strokes
口Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#6904Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L4IntermediateHSKKL3CEFRB2
Podcast: 咳
Podcast: 咳
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AI Study Notes for 咳
Memory Mnemonic
Imagine the sound 'hāi' pronounced like a sigh of relief after a cough. The character 咳 resembles a mouth (口) making a sound (the radical for sound in the top part), emphasizing the act of coughing or sighing.
Usage Notes
Be careful not to confuse 咳 with similar-sounding words that have different meanings. It is typically used in informal contexts, but can also appear in medical discussions. A common collocation is 咳嗽 (késòu), which means 'to cough'.
HSK Study Tips
While 咳 is not specifically listed in HSK levels, understanding it can enhance your vocabulary related to health and everyday situations. Focus on its pronunciation and use in phrases to reinforce your learning.
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, coughing can often be a topic of concern, reflecting the value placed on health. Additionally, it is common to say 'excuse me' after coughing in social situations as a sign of politeness.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 咳 with other similar-sounding words, leading to incorrect usage. For example, saying '我咳了' (Wǒ hāi le) instead of '我咳嗽了' (Wǒ késòu le) to mean 'I coughed' is incorrect.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 咳
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Grammar Patterns of 咳
咳 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.
Try gargling with salt water as soon as a cough begins.
5
接着他便控制不住地剧烈咳嗽了一阵。
jiē zháo tā biàn kòng zhì bù zhù dì jù liè ké sòu le yī zhèn。
He was then overcome by a terrible fit of coughing.
6
他一咳嗽就把卡在喉咙里的鱼刺咳出来了.
tā yī ké sòu jiù bǎ kǎ zài hóu lóng lǐ de yú cì ké chū lái le.
The coughing dislodged the fishbone from his throat.
7
这片宁静被阿斯特利刺耳的干咳声打破了。
zhè piàn níng jìng bèi ā sī tè lì cì ěr de gān ké shēng dǎ pò le。
The quiet was broken by Astley's hacking cough.
8
他一阵咳嗽咳破了一根血管.
tā yī zhèn ké sòu ké pò le yī gēn xiě guǎn.
He burst a blood - vessel in a fit of coughing.
9
还是别跑紧了, 一咬牙就咳嗽,心口窝辣蒿蒿的!
huán shì bié pǎo jǐn le, , yī yǎo yá jiù ké, sòu , xīn kǒu wō là hāo!
If you strain to run fast, you start coughing and feel a constriction in the chest.
10
咳嗽差不多好了, 可以喝冻的, 吃辣的 吗 ?
ké sòu chà bù duō hǎo le, , kě yǐ hē dòng, de , chī là?
Cough is about the same good, can drink aspic, eat hot?
Cultural Notes for 咳
🏮Cultural insight
In Chinese culture, coughing can often be a topic of concern, reflecting the value placed on health. Additionally, it is common to say 'excuse me' after coughing in social situations as a sign of politeness.
Word Family of 咳
Words Containing This Character6
咳嗽késouto cough
咳hāisound of sighing
止咳zhǐkéto suppress coughing
百日咳whooping cough
咳痰to cough up phlegm
咳呛(dialect) to cough咳嗆
Exercise 1 of 4
Compound Meaning
What does 咳嗽 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 咳
Some common phrases include '咳嗽' (ké sòu), meaning 'cough,' and '咳了一声' (ké le yī shēng), which translates to 'let out a cough.' These phrases are useful for describing coughing in different situations.
Yes, 咳 is commonly used in everyday conversation, especially when discussing health or when someone is actually coughing. It's a practical word to know for expressing physical reactions or symptoms.
咳 (hāi, ké) is a character that primarily means 'cough.' It can also refer to the sound of sighing. In conversational contexts, it is often used to express an involuntary action of coughing.
You can use 咳 in a sentence like '他咳嗽了' (tā ké sòu le), which means 'He coughed.' It can be used both as a verb and as a noun, depending on the context.
It is pronounced as 'hāi'.
It is generally used in informal contexts, but can appear in medical or health-related discussions.
咳 (hāi) refers to the act of coughing, while 咳嗽 (késòu) specifically means 'to cough'.
