TongTong
Sign in

难产 (nán chǎn) — (medicine) difficult labor, dystocia; (figurative) slow in coming, difficult to produce or bring out (of creative works, plans, decisions, etc.)

Definition

Literally 'difficult childbirth' (medicine), but in everyday use it figuratively describes a creative work, plan, or decision that is slow or hard to come out.

noun
(medicine) difficult labordystocia(figurative) slow in coming, difficult to produce or bring out (of creative works, plans, decisions, etc.)

Examples

  • 难产。
    Tā yīn wèi nán chǎn zài yī yuàn dài le shí jǐ gè xiǎo shí.
    She stayed in the hospital for over ten hours due to difficult labor.
  • 难产，。
    Zhè bù xiǎo shuō chuàng zuò guò chéng shí fēn nán chǎn, xiě le wǔ nián cái wán chéng.
    The process of writing this novel was very difficult; it took five years to complete.
  • 难产，。
    Nà ge gǎi gé fāng àn yì zhí nán chǎn, dào xiàn zài hái méi yǒu tōng guò.
    That reform plan has been stalled in development and hasn't been passed yet.

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.

难nándifficult
产chǎnbirth

难 means difficult, and 产 refers to birth or producing, so the idea is difficult birth.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 難; 难 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
隹隹zhuībird
Sound part声符shēngfú
暵
暵hàn難nán
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional 難 pairs 隹, a bird, with 暵 for sound, and meant a type of bird. It was later borrowed for other meanings; the modern 难 is a shorthand.

Open 难 →

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 產; 产 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
生生shēngto be born
Sound part声符shēngfú
彥
彥yàn產chǎn
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 產 pairs 生, "to be born," with 彥 as a sound part; the simplified 产 is a shorthand.

Open 产 →
Appears in
Illness & Symptoms

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