咳
cough, clear throat
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
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.