喉

hóu

侯 + 口

Definitions

hóu (noun) throat; larynx

Etymology

Phonosemantic compound. 口 represents the meaning and 侯 represents the sound.

Semantic: 口 Phonetic: 侯

About

The character 喉 is a phono-semantic compound. The left side, 口 (mouth), provides the semantic category, linking it to structures involved in eating, breathing, or speaking. The right side, 侯 (marquis), serves as the phonetic component. Its primary meaning is the throat or larynx, the passage in the neck connecting the mouth to the stomach and lungs. Because the throat is a vital and constricted passageway, the character is also used metaphorically to describe a strategic chokepoint, such as a narrow mountain pass or a critical traffic artery.

Etymology Hide

Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)

Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)

Traditional Modern

Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我的喉咙很痛。

Wǒ de hóulóng hěn tòng.

My throat hurts a lot.

他咳嗽时喉咙不舒服。

Tā késòu shí hóulóng bù shūfu.

His throat is uncomfortable when he coughs.

医生用喉镜检查他的喉咙。

Yīshēng yòng hóujìng jiǎnchá tā de hóulóng.

The doctor used a laryngoscope to examine his throat.

喉咙健康对歌手很重要。

Hóulóng jiànkāng duì gēshǒu hěn zhòngyào.

Throat health is very important for singers.

这个报纸是政府的喉舌。

Zhège bàozhǐ shì zhèngfǔ de hóushé.

This newspaper is the mouthpiece of the government.

长期吸烟可能引发喉癌。

Chángqī xīyān kěnéng yǐnfā hóu ái.

Long-term smoking may cause throat cancer.

在演讲前，他喝了口水润润喉咙。

Zài yǎnjiǎng qián, tā hē le kǒu shuǐ rùn run hóulóng.

Before the speech, he drank some water to moisten his throat.

保护喉咙避免过度使用声带。

Bǎohù hóulóng bìmiǎn guòdù shǐyòng shēngdài.

Protect your throat to avoid overusing your vocal cords.

Related Characters

Component: 侯

Component: 口

喉