Learn a Chinese Character - 咳

1. Character Basics

Radical: 口 (mouth radical)

Stroke Count: 9

Stroke Order:

2. Pronunciation

Pinyin: ké

3. Meaning

English meaning: to cough

4. Common Words

• 咳嗽 (ké sou) - cough
• 干咳 (gān ké) - dry cough
• 咳嗽药 (ké sou yào) - cough medicine
• 咳喘 (ké chuǎn) - cough and asthma
• 咳血 (ké xuè) - cough up blood

5. Grammar & Usage

Usage notes:

• 主要用作动词，表示咳嗽的动作
• 常见结构：咳 + 嗽（组成固定搭配）
• 可以重叠使用，如"咳咳"表示连续的咳嗽声

6. Cultural Background

In traditional Chinese medicine, coughing is considered a symptom of various conditions, not just a respiratory issue. Doctors may diagnose underlying problems based on the type of cough (dry, productive, etc.). Chinese medicine has developed many herbal remedies for coughs over thousands of years.

7. Example Sentence

8. Memory Tips

Mnemonic: The character "咳" has "口" (mouth) on the left and "亥" (the 12th Earthly Branch) on the right. Imagine someone with their mouth open, making a coughing sound during the time of "亥" (9-11 PM), which is when people often feel tired and may get sick.