血压

• Pinyin: xuè yā
• Hanzi breakdown: 血 = pictograph of a vessel with blood; 压 = 厂 + 土 (cliff + earth — pressing down from above, pressure)

Meaning

Blood pressure. The pressure exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, measured as systolic over diastolic pressure.

Extremely common in healthcare discussions in China, where hypertension is a major public health concern. Normal blood pressure is approximately 120/80 mmHg. 低血压 (low blood pressure) and 高血压 (high blood pressure/hypertension) are both common diagnoses. In colloquial usage 血压升高 can humorously mean something is infuriating.

Examples

1. 医生叮嘱他每天早晨测量一次血压，并将数据记录在册，以便定期复诊时作为参考依据。 The doctor told him to check his blood pressure every morning and record the numbers so they can be used as a reference at his follow-up visits.
2. 长期精神紧张、饮食不规律以及缺乏锻炼是引发高血压的主要生活方式因素，需引起高度重视。 Chronic stress, an irregular diet, and lack of exercise are major lifestyle factors behind high blood pressure and should be taken very seriously.
3. 他看到那份令人愤懑的合同条款，忍不住调侃道，自己的血压已经直线上升了。 When he read those infuriating contract terms, he joked that his blood pressure was shooting up.

Usage Guide

Context: health, medicine, daily life, elderly care

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 社区卫生中心向辖区内六十岁以上的老年居民提供免费的血压检测服务，每周开放两个上午，无需预约即可前往。(The community health centre provides free blood pressure testing services to elderly residents aged sixty and above in the area, open two mornings per week on a walk-in basis.)
• 营养师指出，高盐饮食是导致血压升高的重要因素，建议每人每日食盐摄入量控制在五克以内，以保护心血管健康。(The nutritionist pointed out that a high-salt diet is an important factor contributing to elevated blood pressure, and recommended that each person limit daily salt intake to within five grams to protect cardiovascular health.)

Don't Say

• 这件事让我血压了 — 血压 is a noun and requires a verb or adjective; say 这件事让我血压升高 or colloquially 这件事让我血压飙升 for saying something is infuriating

Origin & History

血 (blood) + 压 (pressure) — the pressure within the blood vessels

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal