Learning Chinese: Harms and Trauma
A collection of Chinese vocabulary and phrases relating to harm and trauma. Ideal for beginner Chinese learners.
剪 (jiǎn)
cut
The Chinese character '剪' is used in the same context as 'cut' in English. It can be used to describe reducing something (剪短), a physical action (剪纸) such as cutting paper, or modifying something (剪发), like getting a haircut.
Example sentences with 剪 →抓痕 (zhuā hén)
scratch
In Chinese, 'scratch' is translated to '抓痕' (zhuā hén). It can be used in the same way as it is in English, usually referring to a mark or wound made by scratching. For example, you could say '我被猫抓痕了' which means 'I got scratched by a cat'. You can also use it metaphorically - to mean 'barely makes it by' similar to the English 'scratch the surface'.
Example sentences with 抓痕 →燃烧 (ránshāo)
burn
The Chinese word '燃烧' is used similarly as the English word 'burn.' It can be used to describe the physical burning of materials, such as '燃烧木头' ('burning wood'). But it can also be used metaphorically as in '燃烧的激情' ('burning passion').
Example sentences with 燃烧 →药 (yào)
first aid kit
The Chinese word for medicine is '药', pronounced as 'yào'. It is often used in the context of healthcare and treatment, similar to its usage in English. It can be used in phrases such as 'take medicine' (吃药 - chī yào) and 'prescription medicine' (处方药 - chǔ fāng yào).