HanziGuru.嗆 · qiàng
嗆
qiàng[qiang4]Tone 4

to choke (of smoke, smell etc), to irritate the nose, pungent

HSK 7
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呛
Multiple Readings (多音字):
Guru Deep Dive

English · to choke (of smoke, smell etc), to irritate the nose, pungent

Cached lesson
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Topology:Left-right
Strokes:8
Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (口) occupies about one-third of the width and sits slightly higher, while the right component (仓) takes up the remaining two-thirds with a stable, wide base.
1. Meaning

to choke or irritate the respiratory tract by smoke, dust, or pungent smells

pungent or irritating (of odors or tastes)to speak sharply, scold, or talk back to someone (colloquial)
Verb / AdjectiveNeutral / Colloquial#sensory perception#emotions#actions#speech
Sample Usage
  • 浓烟把大家都呛得喘不过气来。
    Nóng yān bǎ dàjiā dōu qiàng de chuǎn bù guò qì lái.
    The dense smoke choked everyone so they could barely breathe.
  • 这个辣椒太呛了！
    Zhè ge làjiāo tài qiàng le!
    This chili pepper is so pungent/sharp!
2. Sound
/[tɕʰi̯ɑŋ˥˩]/Tone: 51
嗆
qiàngqiang4
++
`(51)
=qiàng
Build the syllable
Step-by-step blending
qiang
Tone mark placement: Tone mark sits on "a" per main-vowel priority (a > e > o; in -iu/-ui the mark takes the second vowel).
Initial Consonant
q
Type: Aspirated Alveolo-Palatal
Sounds like: ch sound produced with blade of tongue near hard palate
Aspirated
Airflow Tactile Test: Extremely strong burst of breath! Tissue held before mouth MUST fly.
Tongue & Mouth Position: Blade of the tongue lifts toward the hard palate while the tip touches the back of the lower teeth, releasing a sharp puff of air.
Final Rhyme
iang
Vowel Group: -a vowel group
Sounds like: -ee-ahng rhyme, like 'ee' gliding into 'ang' (rhyming loosely with 'young' or 'ong' with an 'ah' core)
Mouth Shape Guide: Pronounce as standalone vowel 'yahng'.
Common Learner Trap: Keep vowel quality steady across all 4 tone contours.
Tone
T4 (51)
4th Tone (High-Falling)
Tone Pitch & Cadence: Tone 4 starts high and drops sharply to the bottom, like a firm 'No!' or a sharp command.
👂
Listening trap: Confusing the aspirated initial 'q-' [tɕʰ] with the unaspirated 'j-' [tɕ], or missing the strong burst of breath.
👋
Physical Tone Gesture: A sharp, forceful chop downward with your hand, mirroring the abrupt and high-falling pitch of Tone 4.
3. Writing

Topology: Left-right · Strokes: 8 strokes

Writing Balance Rule: The left radical (口) occupies about one-third of the width and sits slightly higher, while the right component (仓) takes up the remaining two-thirds with a stable, wide base.

4. Components

Radical 口 · Mouth Radical (Mouth, opening, speech, or breathing)

Semantic Clue (形旁): 口 (Indicates actions involving the mouth, breathing, or respiratory irritation.)

Phonetic Clue (声旁): 仓 (original sound: cāng)

The mouth (口) experiences a sudden blocked storehouse (仓) of air, causing you to cough when smoke enters your respiratory tract.

  • 口 Mouth / breathing
  • 仓 Storehouse (providing the sound 'qiang')
5. History
Liushu category: Phono-semantic (形声)

Origin: Combined from the mouth radical (口) representing breathing or the throat, and (仓) which supplies the phonetic pronunciation.

Semantic Evolution: Originally referred to the physical sensation of food or smoke blocking and irritating the throat/nose; later expanded to mean pungent odors and colloquial scolding.

  • The phonetic component 仓 (cāng) provides a close approximation to the modern reading qiàng.
6. Sinosphere
7. Memory
Vivid Mnemonic Story

You open your MOUTH (口) inside a dusty STORAGE WAREHOUSE (仓) and accidentally inhale a cloud of dust that makes you CHOKE (qiàng).

Phonetic Family (形声字家族)
倉
Phonetic Core (声旁)
創
+ 刂 (knife)
愴
+ 忄 (heart)
戧
+ 戈 (halberd)
Explore this family →
Lookalikes & Traps (形近字)
枪(qiāng)
枪 has the metal radical (钅) for weapons/guns, whereas 呛 has the mouth radical (口) for breathing and choking.
抢(qiǎng)
抢 has the hand radical (扌) for grabbing, whereas 呛 has the mouth (口) for throat irritation.
8. Mastery
Active Recall Challenge
廚房裡的油煙太大了，把我___得直流眼淚。
Clue: qiàng
Common Learner Pitfall

Confusing the character with 枪 (qiāng) or 抢 (qiǎng) due to the identical phonetic component 仓 (cāng).

Memory Prompts
Recognition: What does 呛 mean when smoke or pungent smells cause a reaction in your nose or throat?
Production: How do you write the character for 'to choke on smoke or smells' (qiàng) using the mouth radical?
Real-World Video Context

Watch authentic native speakers pronounce and explain this word in real-world YouTube videos.

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