痠 (suān) - Sore, aching — describes a dull, persistent pain

痠Tone 1

suān ｜ 12 strokes ｜ radical:

树檀

痠 · suān

Sore, aching — describes a dull, persistent pain in muscles or bones, often from fatigue or overexertion.

Sore, aching — describes a dull, persistent pain

Usage highlights

soreness and painsore backsore legssore shoulderssore all overrelieve soreness

Synonyms

  • 酸— sour; aching (often used interchangeably in simplified Chinese)
  • 痛— pain, hurt
  • 疼— ache, soreness

Antonyms

  • 舒— comfortable, relaxed
  • 爽— refreshed, invigorated

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • My legs are sore after climbing the mountain (爬山后腿很痠).
  • He has a sore back from sitting too long (久坐导致背部痠痛).
  • This medicine can relieve soreness (这种药可以缓解痠痛).
  • She felt sore all over after the workout (锻炼后她全身痠痛).

Collocations

  • soreness and pain(痠痛)
  • sore back(腰痠)
  • sore legs(腿痠)
  • sore shoulders(肩膀痠)
  • sore all over(全身痠)
  • relieve soreness(缓解痠痛)

Idioms

  • Soreness and pain all over(遍体痠痛)
  • Sore back and weak legs(腰痠腿软)
  • Sore and numb limbs(四肢痠麻)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • Commonly used in Traditional Chinese Medicine to describe bodily discomfort from fatigue, overwork, or poor circulation.
  • Often appears in contexts describing physical exhaustion or the after-effects of strenuous activity.
  • In modern usage, sometimes replaced by 酸 in simplified Chinese contexts, though 痠 remains the more precise medical character.

FAQ