Chinese word

胃

Pronunciation

Pinyinwèi

Meaning

  • nounstomach

Example

我胃不舒服。wǒ wèi bù shū fú

My stomach does not feel well.

Illustration for 胃 (stomach)

More examples

最近工作压力大，他经常胃痛。zuì jìn gōng zuò yā lì dà tā jīng cháng wèi tòng

Recently, work has been stressful, and he often gets a stomachache.

Core concept

An internal pouch that receives food, softens it with digestive fluid, and sends it onward.

Common phrases

  • 胃不舒服wèi bù shū fú

    have an upset stomach

  • 胃痛wèi tòng

    have a stomachache

  • 胃口不好wèi kǒu bù hǎo

    have a poor appetite

Similar words

肚子dǔ zi: The whole front part of the abdomen, commonly called the belly.
胃部wèi bù: The region where the stomach is located, with a relatively formal tone.
胃口wèi kǒu: A person's appetite or wish to eat.

Definition in Chinese

胃是消化道中的一个器官，位于上腹部，呈囊状，能暂时储存食物并分泌消化液参与食物的初步消化。wèi shì xiāo huà dào zhōng de yí gè qì guān wèi yú shàng fù bù chéng náng zhuàng néng zàn shí chǔ cún shí wù bìng fēn mì xiāo huà yè cān yù shí wù de chū bù xiāo huà

Word origin

The ancient form of 胃 (wèi, "stomach") was based on a drawing of a pouch-like organ, making the character's original image useful for remembering its meaning.

Usage tips

  • English often uses a possessive such as "my" with body parts, but everyday Chinese can name the body part directly when describing a person's symptoms.

Related words

Word lists with this word