咳

• Reading: せき
• Romaji: seki
• Kanji breakdown: 咳 (seki) — cough
• Pronunciation: /se.ki/

Meaning

Cough; coughing. The reflexive action of expelling air from the lungs.

A noun commonly used with が出る (to come out, i.e., to cough) and をする (to do, i.e., to cough). The verb form 咳をする is more natural in Japanese than saying 'to cough' as a single verb. Often appears in cold and flu contexts alongside 熱 (fever) and 鼻水 (runny nose).

Examples

1. 風邪をひいて咳が止まらない。 I caught a cold and can't stop coughing.
2. 電車の中で咳をするときはマスクをしましょう。 When you cough on the train, you should wear a mask.
3. 夜中に咳が出て眠れなかった。 I couldn't sleep because I was coughing in the middle of the night.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, daily life, public manners

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

The kanji 咳 combines 口 (mouth) and 亥 (a phonetic component). It has been used since ancient times to represent the sound and action of coughing.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal