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发痒 (fā yǎng) — to itch; to feel itchy

Definition

A verb meaning 'to itch / feel itchy,' often used for skin, wounds, or scalp irritations. In example 2 it functions as a result complement (发了几天的痒 'itched for several days').

verb
to itchto feel itchy

Examples

  • 发痒。
    Wǒ de shǒu yòu kāi shǐ fā yǎng le.
    My hands are starting to itch again.
  • 。
    Shāng kǒu fā le jǐ tiān yǎng cái màn màn hǎo.
    The wound itched for several days before slowly healing.
  • 发痒，。
    Bèi shàng yǒu xiē fā yǎng, nǐ bāng wǒ kàn kàn.
    There's some itching on my back — take a look for me.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

发fādevelop
痒yǎngitch

发 suggests producing or developing a feeling, and 痒 names the itch; together they describe an itchy sensation.

Characters in this word

A drawing of the thing itself, worn down over three thousand years into a few strokes.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 發; 发 is its simplified writing.

The simplified 发 stands for more than one traditional character. In most words (爆发, 出发) it is 發; in others (理发, 头发) it is 髮.

The form 發, which 发 stands for in many words, was originally drawn as a bow firing an arrow.

Open 发 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
羊
羊yáng痒yǎng
Same sound today

痒 is built from 疒, showing illness, and 羊, which gives its sound.

Open 痒 →
Appears in
Illness & Symptoms

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