昏

• Pinyin: hūn
• Hanzi breakdown: 昏 = 日 (sun) + 氐 (low/bottom), the sun sinking low, meaning dusk or dim

Meaning

To faint; to lose consciousness; dim; dusk. Being in a state of unconsciousness or reduced clarity.

Has multiple related meanings: (1) to faint/pass out, (2) dim/dark (昏暗), (3) confused/muddled (头昏). Common compounds: 昏迷 (in a coma), 昏倒 (faint and fall), 昏沉 (drowsy), 黄昏 (dusk). Can describe physical unconsciousness or mental confusion.

Examples

1. 她一听到这个消息，眼前一黑就昏过去了。 The moment she heard the news, everything went black and she fainted.
2. 连续加班一个月，他累得头昏脑涨，走路都打晃。 After working overtime for a month straight, he was so exhausted his head was spinning and he could barely walk straight.
3. 房间里光线昏暗，我根本看不清他的表情。 The lighting in the room was so dim that I couldn't make out his expression at all.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, describing conditions, everyday

Tone: descriptive

Do Say

• 他昏过去了，快叫救护车！(He fainted — call an ambulance quickly!)
• 我今天头昏，可能感冒了。(I feel dizzy today — I might have a cold.)

Don't Say

• 睡着了用昏 (Don't use 昏 to mean falling asleep normally — it implies loss of consciousness or being extremely drowsy)

Origin & History

Composed of 日 (sun) + 氐 (low), depicting the sun low on the horizon at dusk, hence dim or unclear.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal