流血

• Pinyin: liú xuè
• Hanzi breakdown: 流 = 氵+ 㐬 (to flow); 血 = pictograph of blood in a vessel

Meaning

To bleed; to shed blood. Refers both literally to physical bleeding and metaphorically to sacrifice or loss in conflict.

Used literally in medical and injury contexts, and figuratively in descriptions of war, sacrifice, or struggle. Phrases like 不流血的革命 (bloodless revolution) and 流血牺牲 (to sacrifice one's blood/life) highlight its metaphorical range.

Examples

1. 伤者腿部大量流血，现场医护人员立即进行了紧急包扎处理。 The injured person’s leg was bleeding heavily, and medical staff on the scene immediately performed emergency bandaging.
2. 历史上许多革命都经历了流血冲突，才最终换来了和平与变革。 Throughout history, many revolutions went through bloody conflict before finally bringing peace and change.
3. 他在谈判中明确表示，希望以和平方式解决争端，避免任何流血事件。 He made it clear in the negotiations that he hoped to resolve the dispute peacefully and avoid any bloodshed.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, military, history

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 医生提醒患者术后伤口可能会流血，应立即用纱布按压并就医。(The doctor reminded the patient that the wound might bleed after surgery and should be pressed with gauze and treated immediately.)
• 先烈们为国家的独立流血牺牲，我们不应忘记这段历史。(Our forebears shed their blood and sacrificed their lives for national independence — we must not forget this history.)

Don't Say

• 将流血用于形容极轻微的皮肤擦伤 — 流血 implies meaningful blood loss; for minor scrapes use 渗血 or 破皮 instead (Don't use 流血 for very minor skin grazes — use 渗血 or 破皮 for slight scraping)

Origin & History

流 (to flow) + 血 (blood)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal