Chinese word

嗓子

Pronunciation

Pinyinsǎng zi

Meaning

  • nounthroat

Example

我嗓子有点不舒服，咳嗽很多。wǒ sǎng zi yóu diǎn bù shū fú ké sòu hěn duō

My throat feels a bit uncomfortable, and I cough a lot.

Illustration for 嗓子 (throat)

More examples

上台前要好好保护嗓子。shàng tái qián yào háo hǎo bǎo hù sǎng zi

Before going on stage, be sure to protect your throat.

Core concept

The voice-producing throat, viewed both as a body part and as the sound carried through it.

Common phrases

  • 嗓子疼sǎng zi téng

    sore throat

  • 嗓子嘶哑sǎng zi sī yǎ

    hoarse voice

  • 保护嗓子bǎo hù sǎng zi

    protect one's throat

Similar words

喉咙hóu lóng: The common spoken term for the outside part of the throat.
咽喉yān hóu: The throat as an internal body passage or as a medical function.
声带shēng dài: The tissue in the throat whose vibration makes the voice.

Definition in Chinese

指用于发声的喉部，或由喉部产生的声音状态，既可指身体部位，也可指声音本身的状况。zhǐ yòng yú fā shēng de hóu bù huò yóu hóu bù chǎn shēng de shēng yīn zhuàng tài jì kě zhǐ shēn tǐ bù wèi yě kě zhǐ shēng yīn běn shēn de zhuàng kuàng

Word origin

嗓 (sǎng, "throat or voice") joins 子 (zi, "noun-forming suffix"), connecting the physical throat with the voice that comes from it.

Usage tips

  • English speakers often reserve throat for the body part and voice for the sound, but Chinese links these ideas more readily when discussing illness, tiredness, or singing.

Other meanings

  • voicenoun

Related words

  • 嗓音sǎng yīnvoicenoun
  • 嗓门sǎng ménvoice volumenoun

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