痛

• Pinyin: tòng
• Hanzi breakdown: 痛 = 疒 (illness) + 甬 (path, phonetic component)

Meaning

Painful; to ache; to hurt. Describes physical pain or soreness in the body.

Used both as an adjective and a verb to describe pain. Commonly combined with body parts: 头痛 (headache), 肚子痛 (stomachache), 牙痛 (toothache). Can also express emotional pain in literary contexts, though 痛苦 is more common for that.

Examples

1. 我的头很痛，可能感冒了。 My head really hurts; I might have a cold.
2. 跑完步以后腿有点痛。 My legs ache a bit after running.
3. 她肚子痛，不想吃东西。 She has a stomachache and doesn't want to eat.

Usage Guide

Context: health, everyday, body

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 我的喉咙有点痛。(My throat is a bit sore.)
• 你哪里痛？(Where does it hurt?)

Don't Say

• 我的心情很痛。(Don't use 痛 directly for emotional states — use 痛苦 or 难过 instead. 痛 alone primarily refers to physical pain.)

Origin & History

痛 is composed of 疒 (illness radical) and 甬 (a phonetic component), indicating a sensation related to sickness or injury.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal