Chinese Conversation · Level 10
90 words
Chinese word
麻
Pronunciation
Pinyinmá
Meaning
- adjectivenumb
Example
我的手麻了。wǒ de shǒu má le
My hand has gone numb.
More examples
把腿放下来，腿就不麻了。bǎ tuǐ fàng xià lái tuǐ jiù bù má le
After I lowered my leg, it was no longer numb.
Core concept
Normal sensation in one area becomes unclear or weak, ranging from dull touch to a prickling feeling.
Common phrases
手臂麻shǒu bì má
numb arm
腿麻tuǐ má
numb leg
手指麻shóu zhǐ má
numb fingers
Similar words
麻木má mù: Feeling very dull over a broad area, with little response to touch.
麻痹má bì: Having impaired nerve or muscle function that affects sensation or movement.
Definition in Chinese
局部感觉失常，表现为麻木、刺痛或发麻，通常由神经受压、血流不良、疲劳或寒冷导致。jú bù gǎn jué shī cháng biǎo xiàn wèi má mù cì tòng huò fā má tōng cháng yóu shén jīng shòu yā xuè liú bù liáng pí láo huò hán lěng dǎo zhì
Word origin
麻 (má, "numb") uses the character whose older meaning is hemp, reflecting a conventional semantic extension rather than a dependable story about hemp's effects.
Usage tips
- In casual speech, the affected body part commonly comes before the adjective, and a phrase meaning "a little" can mark a mild episode rather than complete insensitivity.
Other meanings
- tinglingnoun
- insensitivitynoun
Opposites
- 灵敏líng mǐnsensitiveadjective