Chinese Conversation · Level 72
90 words
Chinese word
化痰
Pronunciation
Pinyinhuà tán
Meaning
- verbdissolve phlegm
Example
晚上咳嗽时，喝热水能帮助化痰。wǎn shàng ké sòu shí hē rè shuǐ néng bāng zhù huà tán
When you cough at night, drinking hot water can help dissolve phlegm.
More examples
吸入蒸汽可以帮助化痰。xī rù zhēng qì ké yǐ bāng zhù huà tán
Inhaling steam can help dissolve phlegm.
Core concept
A thick airway secretion becomes looser and easier to bring out by coughing.
Common phrases
帮助化痰bāng zhù huà tán
help dissolve phlegm
化痰止咳huà tán zhǐ ké
dissolve phlegm and stop coughing
Similar words
咳嗽ké sòu: Send air out forcefully to try to clear material from the throat or airway.
吐痰tǔ tán: Expel phlegm directly from the mouth by spitting.
Definition in Chinese
通过改变痰的性状，使原本黏稠的分泌物变稀薄并更容易被咳出。tōng guò gǎi biàn tán de xìng zhuàng shǐ yuán běn nián chóu de fēn mì wù biàn xī bó bìng gèng róng yì bèi ké chū
Word origin
化 (huà, "change") + 痰 (tán, "phlegm") forms 化痰 (huàtán, "dissolve phlegm"), naming a change in the secretion that makes it easier to expel.
Usage tips
- In conversational health advice, Chinese can put a drink or medicine before this verb to show that it helps bring about the result, while English usually makes the remedy the subject of a full clause.
Other meanings
- cough up phlegmverb
- clear phlegmverb
Related words
- 化痰药huà tán yàophlegm-relieving medicinenoun
- 化痰剂huà tán jìexpectorantnoun