痛 (tòng) - Pain — physical or emotional suffering & ache

痛Tone 4

tòng ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

婷婉

痛 · tòng

Pain — physical or emotional suffering;

ache;

sorrow;

deeply;

extremely.

Pain — physical or emotional sufferingachesorrow

Usage highlights

HeadacheStomachacheHeartachePainfulBitter hatredDeeply regret

Synonyms

  • 疼— ache, pain (often interchangeable with 痛)
  • 苦— bitterness, suffering
  • 悲— sorrow, grief

Antonyms

  • 乐— happiness, joy
  • 愉— pleasure, delight
  • 快— fast; happy, pleased

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • I have a headache (头痛).
  • She felt heartbroken (心痛).
  • The memory is painful (痛苦的记忆).
  • He bitterly regrets his decision (痛悔).

Collocations

  • Headache(头痛)
  • Stomachache(肚子痛)
  • Heartache(心痛)
  • Painful(痛苦的)
  • Bitter hatred(痛恨)
  • Deeply regret(痛悔)

Idioms

  • To be in great pain, as if bereft of one's parents(如丧考妣)
  • To lick one's wounds and endure hardship to achieve an aim(卧薪尝胆)
  • To hit where it hurts most; to attack the enemy at his weakest point(击中痛处)
  • To cut out the pain with a quick, sharp solution; radical and thorough solution to a problem(痛快淋漓)
  • Deep-seated hatred(深仇痛恨)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, pain is often seen as a blockage of qi (vital energy) in the body's meridians.
  • The character conveys both physical sensation and deep emotional suffering, reflecting the mind-body connection in Chinese thought.
  • Used idiomatically to express intensity of feeling, as in '痛恨' (bitterly hate) or '痛饮' (drink heavily/to one's heart's content).

FAQ