咳

• Pinyin: ké
• Hanzi breakdown: 咳 = 口 (mouth) + 亥 (pig/twelfth earthly branch), phonetic component

Meaning

To cough. The physical action of expelling air from the lungs with a sharp sound.

Describes the involuntary reflex of coughing due to illness, irritation, or as a deliberate signal (like a polite cough to get attention). Often paired with 嗽 to form 咳嗽 (cough), the standard medical term.

Examples

1. 他一直咳个不停，可能感冒了。 He keeps coughing non-stop; he might have a cold.
2. 烟雾太大，呛得她直咳。 The smoke was so thick that it made her cough repeatedly.
3. 老师咳了一声，教室里立刻安静下来。 The teacher coughed once, and the classroom immediately became quiet.

Usage Guide

Context: health, everyday

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你咳得这么厉害，要去看医生。(You're coughing so badly, you should see a doctor.)
• 他咳了两声引起大家的注意。(He coughed twice to get everyone's attention.)

Don't Say

• 我的喉咙咳。(Say 我一直咳 or 我喉咙痒，老想咳 — the verb needs proper structure)

Origin & History

咳 = 口 (mouth) + 亥 (phonetic component). An onomatopoeic character imitating the sound of coughing.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal