痒

• Pinyin: yǎng
• Hanzi breakdown: 痒 = 疒 (illness radical — depicting a person reclining in discomfort) + 羊 (phonetic component)

Meaning

Itchy; to itch. Describes a skin sensation that provokes the urge to scratch, caused by irritation, allergy, insect bites, or other stimuli.

Used both physically (皮肤发痒, 蚊子叮了很痒) and figuratively. Key figurative expressions: 技痒 (itching to show off one's skills), 心痒痒 (feeling a restless longing or curiosity), 挠到痒处 (to hit the spot; to address exactly what someone wanted). 痒 often carries a sense of irresistible urge.

Examples

1. 被蚊子咬了一夜之后，他手臂和腿上的包奇痒难耐，尽管极力克制，还是忍不住一直抓挠。 After being bitten by mosquitoes all night, the welts on his arms and legs itched unbearably; even though he tried hard to hold back, he still couldn’t stop scratching.
2. 这位钢琴家退休多年，每当听到悦耳的琴声，仍会感到手指发痒，禁不住想要重新坐上琴凳演奏一曲。 Though the pianist had been retired for years, whenever he heard beautiful piano music, his fingers still started itching, and he couldn’t resist wanting to sit down at the bench and play a piece again.
3. 演讲者的一番话恰好挠到了听众的痒处，会场中立刻爆发出经久不息的热烈掌声。 The speaker’s remarks hit the audience right where it itched, and the hall immediately erupted in thunderous applause that wouldn’t die down.

Usage Guide

Context: health, daily life, idiom, emotion

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 花粉过敏的患者在春季外出后常常感到眼睛和鼻腔奇痒难忍，有时还伴随流涕、打喷嚏等过敏症状，严重影响日常生活。(Patients with pollen allergies often feel intense itching in the eyes and nasal passages after going outside in spring, sometimes accompanied by a runny nose and sneezing, seriously affecting daily life.)
• 观看了精彩的街头篮球表演后，他早已技痒难耐，当即脱下外套加入场中，与年轻球员们酣畅淋漓地打了几个回合。(After watching the exciting street basketball display, he was already itching to show his own skills — he immediately took off his coat and joined the court, playing several exhilarating rounds with the young players.)

Don't Say

• 我感觉很痒痒 — 痒痒 can be used colloquially and affectionately, but in standard speech simply say 我感到很痒 or 我身上痒; 痒痒 is more child-like or informal and may sound odd in serious contexts

Origin & History

痒 = 疒 (sickness/ailment radical — a person leaning against a bed, indicating physical discomfort) + 羊 (sheep/phonetic — providing the sound yang)

Cultural Context

Era: Classical/Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal