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Chinese vocabulary · Beginner
How do you say "headache" in Chinese?
头疼
tóu téng
In Chinese, "headache" is 头疼 (tóu téng).
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Pronunciation
This word sounds like "tóu téng" — "tóu" is rising sharply like a question (tone 2), then "téng" is rising sharply like a question (tone 2).
Writing and usage
头疼 is written using hanzi. It's a noun, part of the vocabulary taught in the Noun Town language learning game.
Example sentence
噪音太大让我头疼。
zào yīn tài dà ràng wǒ tóu téng 。
Too much noise gave me a headache.
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How to remember 头疼
Break "头疼" (tóu téng) into "tóu téng" and repeat it slowly a few times until the rhythm sticks in your ear.
Related words
Browse all Chinese words in the glossary.
Questions about 头疼
How do you pronounce 头疼?
This word sounds like "tóu téng" — "tóu" is rising sharply like a question (tone 2), then "téng" is rising sharply like a question (tone 2).
Is 头疼 formal or casual?
头疼 is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech.
How is 头疼 used in Chinese?
头疼 is used the same way as the equivalent English noun. For example: 噪音太大让我头疼。 (Too much noise gave me a headache.).
Where can I practice Chinese words for free?
You can play free Chinese minigames in your browser on the Noun Town online games page, no sign-up required. Every word in the Chinese glossary also has native audio and an example sentence you can revisit any time.
"Headache" in other languages
Curated by Callan Ratcliffe
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