酸疼 (suān téng) — sore and aching; tender (of muscles or body parts)

Definition

A descriptive adjective for muscle soreness — the dull, achy, tender feeling after exertion or strain. Pairs with 觉得 to describe how a body part feels.

adjective
sore and achingtender (of muscles or body parts)

Examples

  • 酸疼。
    Yùn dòng yǐ hòu wǒ de quán shēn dōu suān téng.
    After exercising, my whole body is sore.
  • ,酸疼。
    Gǎn mào de shí hou, gǔ tou fèng lǐ dōu jué de suān téng.
    When you have a cold, even the gaps between your bones feel achy.
  • ,酸疼。
    Tā cháng shí jiān zuò zài diàn nǎo qián, bó zi hé jiān bǎng yì zhí suān téng.
    He sits in front of the computer for long hours, and his neck and shoulders are constantly sore.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
联合liánhéSide by side

Two parts of equal weight, alike or opposite in meaning, standing side by side.

酸 and 疼 both describe soreness and pain, so the word means aching and tender.

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
酉酉yǒu
Sound part声符shēngfú
夋
夋qūn酸suān
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

酸 is built from 酉 and 夋, and 夋 gives the sound.

Open 酸 →

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nèsickness
Sound part声符shēngfú
冬
冬dōng疼téng
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

疼 pairs 疒, a sickness marker, with 冬, which supplies the sound.

Open 疼 →

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