Chinese word

痒

Pronunciation

Pinyinyǎng

Meaning

  • adjectiveitchy

Example

我的手很痒，想抓一下。wǒ de shǒu hěn yǎng xiǎng zhuā yí xià

My hand is very itchy, and I want to scratch it.

Illustration for 痒 (itchy)

More examples

昨晚被蚊子咬，手臂很痒。zuó wǎn bèi wén zi yǎo shǒu bì hěn yǎng

Last night, a mosquito bit me, and my arm was very itchy.

Core concept

A nagging surface sensation that makes contact with the skin feel relieving.

Common phrases

  • 皮肤痒pí fū yǎng

    itchy skin

  • 手臂痒shǒu bì yǎng

    itchy arm

  • 痒得要命yǎng de yào mìng

    terribly itchy

Similar words

瘙痒sào yǎng: An unpleasant itch that can last a long time and is expressed in a somewhat formal style.
痒痒yáng yǎng: A mild, slightly ticklish itch expressed in casual speech.

Definition in Chinese

皮肤或身体某处受到刺激时产生的一种不舒服的感觉，常使人想用手抓挠或摩擦以缓解。pí fū huò shēn tǐ mǒu chù shòu dào cì jī shí chǎn shēng de yì zhǒng bù shū fú de gǎn jué cháng shǐ rén xiǎng yòng shǒu zhuā náo huò mó cā yǐ huán jiě

Word origin

痒 (yǎng, "itchy") is formed from 疒 (nè, "illness") + 羊 (yáng, "sheep"), with the first component signaling bodily discomfort and the second mainly supplying the sound.

Usage tips

  • In informal Mandarin, 痒 (yǎng, "itchy") can also describe a strong urge to do something, so context separates this figurative use from a physical complaint.

Opposites

Related words

Word lists with this word