压痛 (yā tòng) — tenderness (medical term); pressure pain

Definition

Medical term for pain or soreness felt when a body area is pressed — tenderness on palpation. Commonly used in clinical exams (e.g. 腹部压痛 abdominal tenderness).

noun
tenderness (medical term)pressure pain

Examples

  • ，压痛。
    Yī shēng jiǎn chá shí, bìng rén gǎn dào yǒu míng xiǎn de yā tòng.
    When the doctor examined, the patient felt obvious tenderness.
  • 压痛。
    Zhè zhǒng yā tòng kě néng biǎo shì jú bù yǒu yán zhèng.
    This kind of tenderness may indicate local inflammation.
  • ，压痛，。
    Qīng àn fù bù, rú guǒ chū xiàn yā tòng, xū yào jìn yí bù jiǎn chá.
    Gently press the abdomen; if tenderness appears, further examination is needed.

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.

压yāpressure
痛tòngpain

压 names pressure and 痛 names pain, together describing pain felt under pressure.

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 壓; 压 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
土土tǔdust
Sound part声符shēngfú
厭
厭yàn壓yā
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The traditional form 壓 is built from 土, dust, and 厭, which gives the sound; 压 is the simplified form of 壓.

Open 压 →

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 →

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