呕吐
Traditional: 嘔吐
ǒu tù HSK 6

English Meaning

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📚 Example Sentences

他吃了坏食物后开始呕吐。
Tā chīle huài shíwù hòu kāishǐ ǒutù.
He started vomiting after eating spoiled food.
晕车时她常常感到恶心并呕吐。
Yūnchē shí tā chángcháng gǎndào ěxīn bìng ǒutù.
She often feels nauseous and vomits when carsick.
医生建议呕吐后多喝水休息。
Yīshēng jiànyì ǒutù hòu duō hē shuǐ xiūxi.
The doctor advised drinking more water and resting after vomiting.
他呕吐了。
Tā ǒutù le.
He vomited.
她经常呕吐。
Tā jīngcháng ǒutù.
She often vomits.

💡 Memory Tip

Think of 呕 (ǒu) sounding like 'oh' as in exclaiming in disgust, and 吐 (tù) meaning 'to spit'—together, they vividly depict the act of vomiting. The character 呕 includes 口 (mouth), hinting at its connection to the mouth.

📝 Usage Notes

This word is neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, including spoken and written Chinese. It is commonly used in medical settings, everyday conversations about sickness, and descriptions of symptoms.

📖 Grammar Points

呕吐 is often used as a predicate verb, e.g., 他呕吐了 (He vomited). It can be modified by adverbs like 经常 (often) or 突然 (suddenly), and is commonly seen in resultative structures like 呕吐不止 (vomiting non-stop).

🏯 Cultural Notes

In Chinese culture, discussing vomiting openly may be considered impolite in social settings, so it's typically reserved for medical or private conversations. It's also associated with traditional beliefs about bodily balance, such as in contexts of food poisoning or pregnancy.

🔄 Similar Words

Compared to 吐 (tǔ), which can mean 'to spit' or 'to vomit' in a more casual sense, 呕吐 is more specific and formal, emphasizing the medical or involuntary aspect of vomiting. 恶心 (ěxīn) means 'nausea' or 'to feel sick' but does not necessarily involve the act of vomiting itself.

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