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痛处 (tòng chù) — sore spot, tender spot; sensitive point

Definition

痛处 is literally 'sore spot' but is used metaphorically for a sensitive or painful topic that someone doesn't want discussed. Touching on someone's 痛处 means hitting an emotional weak point, not a physical one.

noun
sore spottender spotsensitive point

Examples

  • 痛处。
    Tā jiān bǎng shàng de tòng chù hái zài téng.
    The sore spot on his shoulder still hurts.
  • 痛处。
    Nǐ bú yào měi cì dōu tí dào tā de tòng chù.
    Don't bring up his sore spot every time.
  • 痛处，。
    Yī shēng àn le yí xià tā de tòng chù, tā jiào le yī shēng.
    The doctor pressed his sore spot, and he let out a cry.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

痛tòngpain
处chùplace

痛 gives the painful quality, and 处 names the place.

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
疒疒nèillness
Sound part声符shēngfú
甬
甬yǒng痛tòng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The 疒 part means illness, and 甬 gives the sound; together they form 痛, meaning pain or hurt.

Open 痛 →

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 處; 处 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
夂夂zhǐ
几几jǐtable
Sound part声符shēngfú
虍
虍hū處chǔ
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 處 pairs 虍, giving the sound, with 夂 and 几, a table, as meaning parts. The simplified 处 is a shorthand and its parts are not the historical components.

Open 处 →
Appears in
Abstract ConceptsIllness & Symptoms

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