肿 (zhǒng) · to swell; to be swollen

Meanings

1 to swell; to be swollen
2 swollen; puffy

Characters

肿

zhǒng

swollen; to swell

Examples

HSK 3

他的眼睛哭肿了。

Tā de yǎnjing kū zhǒng le.

His eyes were swollen from crying.

HSK 6

脚踝扭伤后肿了起来。

Jiǎohuái niǔshāng hòu zhǒng le qǐlái.

The ankle swelled up after being sprained.

HSK 7-9

消肿需要几天时间。

Xiāozhǒng xūyào jǐ tiān shíjiān.

It takes a few days for the swelling to go down.

Tips

usage

Common compounds: 红肿 (hóngzhǒng, red and swollen), 肿瘤 (zhǒngliú, tumor), 浮肿 (fúzhǒng, edema/puffy), 消肿 (xiāozhǒng, to reduce swelling). 肿 describes the physical state of being inflated or puffy.

Components

radical

⺼ ròu

flesh (radical)

Left flesh radical - the side-stacking form of 肉, visually identical to 月 (moon) but a separate radical. Anchors 肿 in the body/flesh family alongside 肝 (liver), 肺 (lungs), 脚 (foot), 肌 (muscle). Marks the swelling as a fleshy/bodily phenomenon - an inflamed lump on or in the body.

phonetic

中 zhōng

centre; middle

Right 中 supplies the sound - zhōng shifted only in tone to zhǒng (1st → 3rd). Same phonetic family: 钟 (zhōng, bell), 种 (zhǒng/zhòng, seed/plant), 忠 (zhōng, loyal). 中 also offers a mnemonic: a swelling is the centre of the inflammation, the bulge in the middle of the affected area.