Meaning and Usage
The character 胀 (zhàng) primarily means 'to swell' or 'to become bloated.' It is often used to describe physical swelling of body parts, such as a bloated stomach or swollen face, as well as objects like balloons that expand due to air or gas.
Common Contexts
- Medical or physical conditions: describing swelling caused by allergies, indigestion, or fluid retention.
- Describing objects expanding: balloons, tires, or containers that swell due to pressure.
Collocations and Patterns
- 肚子胀 (dùzi zhàng): stomach bloated, often due to indigestion or gas.
- 脸胀 (liǎn zhàng): face swollen, often from allergy or injury.
- 胀气 (zhàng qì): bloating caused by gas.
Usage Notes
胀 is a descriptive verb and often appears with adverbs or complements indicating degree (e.g., 很厉害, 快要). It is different from 肿 (zhǒng), which also means swollen but often implies inflammation or injury. 胀 emphasizes expansion or bloating rather than redness or pain.
Avoid confusing 胀 with 涨 (zhǎng), which means 'to rise' or 'to increase' in price or water level, despite similar pronunciation.