咳 (ké) - To cough & an interjection expressing surprise or regret

咳Tone 2

ké ｜ 9 strokes ｜ radical: 口

枫惠

咳 · ké

To cough;

an interjection expressing surprise or regret;

also used in onomatopoeia.

To coughan interjection expressing surprise or regretalso used in onomatopoeia.

Usage highlights

To coughCough suppressantWhooping coughDry coughCoughing up phlegmCough variant asthma

Synonyms

  • 嗽— To cough (often used together with 咳)

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He has a persistent cough (咳嗽).
  • The child coughed all night (咳了一整晚).
  • Cough syrup (止咳糖浆) can help relieve symptoms.
  • Ahem! (咳!) Let's begin the meeting.

Collocations

  • To cough(咳嗽)
  • Cough suppressant(止咳药)
  • Whooping cough(百日咳)
  • Dry cough(干咳)
  • Coughing up phlegm(咳痰)
  • Cough variant asthma(咳嗽变异性哮喘)

Idioms

  • To cough and spit(咳唾成珠)
  • Coughing and gasping for breath(咳喘吁吁)
  • Coughing day and night(昼夜咳嗽)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, cough is seen as a symptom of lung imbalance.
  • The character appears in medical texts dating back centuries discussing respiratory ailments.
  • Used as an interjection in classical literature to draw attention or express emotion.

FAQ