发作

fāzuò

to flare up; to break out

HSK 7

Character Breakdown

Meaning and Usage

The word "发作" (fāzuò) primarily refers to the sudden onset or flare-up of symptoms, emotions, or conditions. It is often used in medical contexts to describe attacks or episodes of illness, such as asthma or seizures, but can also describe emotional outbursts.

Common Contexts

  • Medical episodes: asthma attacks, seizures, or other sudden symptoms.
  • Emotional flare-ups: sudden bursts of anger, anxiety, or other strong feelings.

Collocations and Patterns

Usage Notes

"发作" implies an abrupt and often uncontrollable event. It usually describes something negative or problematic. When used for emotions, it suggests a loss of control. It is different from "出现" (chūxiàn), which simply means "to appear" without the sudden or intense connotation.

Avoid using "发作" for positive events or gradual changes.

Example Sentences

他突然发作了哮喘,需要马上用吸入器。

Tā túrán fāzuò le xiāochuǎn, xūyào mǎshàng yòng xīrùqì.

He suddenly had an asthma attack and needed to use an inhaler immediately.

情绪发作时,他很难控制自己的行为。

Qíngxù fāzuò shí, tā hěn nán kòngzhì zìjǐ de xíngwéi.

When his emotions flare up, he finds it hard to control his behavior.

病人的病情发作得很突然,医生立刻采取了紧急措施。

Bìngrén de bìngqíng fāzuò de hěn túrán, yīshēng lìkè cǎiqǔ le jǐnjí cuòshī.

The patient's condition flared up suddenly, and the doctor immediately took