阵痛

陣痛
zhèntòng
noun #23,168

Meanings

  1. 1 labor pains
  2. 2 contractions
  3. 3 (figurative) growing pains; distress caused by a major transition

Examples

Tā rěnshòuzhe jùliè de zhèntòng, zhōngyú shēng xià le háizi.
Enduring intense labor pains, she finally gave birth to the child.
Jīngjì zhuǎnxíng wǎngwǎng bànsuí zhe yī duàn zhèntòng qī.
Economic transformation is often accompanied by a period of painful transition.

Tips

usage
阵痛 is used both literally for labor contractions and figuratively to describe the painful adjustment period that accompanies major social or economic change, e.g., 转型阵痛 (the growing pains of transition).

Stroke Order

zhèn
tòng