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Kotomora

咳

cough, clear throat

Strokes9

Readings

On'yomi

  • カイ
  • ガイ

Kun'yomi

  • せ.く
  • しわぶ.く
  • せき
  • しわぶき

Meaning

咳 centers on the act of coughing or clearing the throat, a sudden expulsion of air from the mouth.

Most common words using 咳

  • 咳せき
    N3

    cough; coughing; tussis

  • 咳くせく

    to cough

  • 咳払いせきばらい

    clearing one's throat; cough

  • 咳止めせきどめ

    cough medicine; cough syrup; cough lozenge

  • 咳き込むせきこむ

    to cough violently; to have a coughing fit

  • 百日咳ひゃくにちぜき

    whooping cough; pertussis

  • 咳嗽がいそう

    cough; coughing

  • 労咳ろうがい

    pulmonary tuberculosis (in traditional Chinese medicine)

  • 咳が出るせきがでる

    to have a cough; to cough

  • 咳き上げるせきあげる

    to have a coughing fit; to sob convulsively

  • 咳くしわぶく

    to cough; to clear one's throat

  • 咳エチケットせきエチケット

    cough etiquette; coughing etiquette

  • 空咳からせき

    dry cough; hacking cough

  • 謦咳けいがい

    cough; hawking

  • 謦咳に接するけいがいにせっする

    to meet someone in person; to have the pleasure of meeting

  • 鎮咳ちんがい

    cough suppression

  • 鎮咳剤ちんがいざい

    cough suppressant; antitussive drug; cough medicine

  • 鎮咳薬ちんがいやく

    cough suppressant; antitussive drug; cough medicine

Explore all words using 咳 →

Study

Etymology

咳 combines 口 (mouth) with 亥, which likely contributes the sound. The character expresses sounds made with the mouth, specifically coughing.

Meaning mnemonic

The mouth 口 beside 亥: imagine a person making a hacking sound from their mouth, like a cough.

Reading mnemonic

For カイ, picture a person coughing so hard they say 'kai!' as they clear their throat: kai -> カイ.