嘔 (ǒu) - To vomit & to retch

嘔Tone 3

ǒu ｜ 14 strokes ｜ radical:

柠七

嘔 · ǒu

To vomit;

to retch;

to feel nauseated;

also used metaphorically for pouring out emotions or producing something with effort.

To vomitto retchto feel nauseated

Usage highlights

VomitFeel nauseatedVomiting bloodNausea and vomitingVomiting and diarrheaPour out one's heart

Synonyms

  • 吐— to spit; to vomit
  • 呕吐— to vomit (as a compound word)

Antonyms

  • 吞— to swallow
  • 咽— to swallow

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He felt nauseous and wanted to vomit (呕吐).
  • The smell made her retch (作呕).
  • She poured out her feelings (呕心沥血).
  • The writer labored over his masterpiece (呕心之作).

Collocations

  • Vomit(呕吐)
  • Feel nauseated(作呕)
  • Vomiting blood(呕血)
  • Nausea and vomiting(呕恶)
  • Vomiting and diarrhea(呕泻)
  • Pour out one's heart(呕心)

Idioms

  • Shed one's heart's blood and exhaust one's wisdom(呕心沥血)
  • Make people sick to their stomachs(令人作呕)
  • Vomit blood in anxiety(呕心抽肠)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, vomiting is seen as a symptom of imbalance in the stomach and spleen.
  • The character is used metaphorically in literary contexts to describe intense emotional outpouring or painstaking creative effort.
  • The idiom 呕心沥血 emphasizes extreme dedication and sacrifice in pursuit of a goal.

FAQ