胀

• Pinyin: zhàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 胀 = 月 (flesh radical) + 长 (long) — flesh expanding

Meaning

To swell; to expand; to bloat. Physical enlargement due to pressure, gas, or fluid.

Used for physical swelling (body parts, objects) and abstract expansion (prices, emotions). Common collocations: 肿胀 (swelling), 膨胀 (expansion), 通货膨胀 (inflation), 头昏脑胀 (dizzy and bloated head). Also describes feeling stuffed after eating.

Examples

1. 吃得太饱，肚子胀得难受。 He ate too much, and his stomach feels painfully bloated.
2. 他的脚踝扭伤后肿胀得很厉害，无法走路。 After he sprained his ankle, it swelled badly and he couldn’t walk.
3. 气球充气过多会胀破。 If you overinflate a balloon, it will burst.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, physical description, daily life

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 受伤部位出现红肿胀痛的症状，需要立即就医。(The injured area shows symptoms of redness, swelling, and pain, requiring immediate medical attention.)
• 天气太热，木门受潮发胀，关不上了。(The weather is too hot; the wooden door swelled from moisture and won't close.)

Don't Say

• 心情胀了 — 胀 is for physical swelling; for emotional expansion use 膨胀 in phrases like 自信心膨胀

Origin & History

胀 = 月(肉) + 长 (flesh expanding/lengthening)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal