挫伤 (cuò shāng) — (noun) a bruise, a contusion (medical); (noun) a setback, a dampening of spirit or morale

Definition

挫伤 is both a physical bruise (contusion) and a figurative psychological setback. Use 受到挫伤 for a blow to morale or confidence, not just any disappointment.

noun
a bruisea contusion (medical)a setbacka dampening of spirit or morale
Measure word · 处

Examples

  • 挫伤。
    Zhè cì shī bài duì tā de jīng shén zào chéng le hěn dà de cuò shāng.
    This failure caused a great psychological setback to him.
  • 挫伤。
    Yī shēng shuō tā tuǐ shàng de cuò shāng xū yào yì zhōu cái néng hǎo.
    The doctor said the bruise on his leg will take a week to heal.
  • 挫伤。
    Qiú duì de lián xù shī lì gěi duì yuán dài lái le xīn lǐ cuò shāng.
    The team's consecutive losses brought psychological setbacks to the players.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
补充bǔchōngVerb + complement

An action followed by its result or direction.

挫cuòbruise
伤shānginjury

挫 bruises and 伤 is injury, together giving a bruise or a blow to morale.

Characters in this word

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
扌Written in full as手shǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
坐
坐zuò挫cuò
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

挫 is written with 扌, a hand shape, beside 坐, which gives its sound.

Open 挫 →

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

This origin belongs to the traditional form 傷; 伤 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
人人rén
Sound part声符shēngfú
𥏻
𥏻𥏻傷shāng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 傷 shows 人, a person, and uses 𥏻 to give the sound; the simplified 伤 is a later shorthand.

Open 伤 →

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.