Chinese phrase
咳痰 ké tán
Meaning
cough up phlegm
When to use it
It describes bringing mucus up by coughing. It is a plain way to describe this breathing symptom in everyday conversation.
Example dialogue
最近我老是咳痰，晚上都睡不好了。 zuì jìn wǒ lǎo shì ké tán wǎn shàng dōu shuì bù hǎo le
I've been coughing up phlegm lately, and I haven't been sleeping well at night.
要不要去看医生？ yào bú yào qù kàn yī shēng
Should I see a doctor?