About
The character "喘", representing the act of panting or gasping, is etymologically constructed from the semantic mouth radical (口) combined with the phonetic component "耑", which historically guided its pronunciation. While "耑" independently carried meanings related to a tip or beginning, within this character it primarily serves a phonetic purpose, with the mouth radical explicitly linking the term to functions of breath and speech. Over time, the core meaning of labored breathing has remained central, though the character's application has broadened to include specific medical conditions and figurative uses that imply fluster or intense effort. Its structural integrity has been maintained across periods, with the components continuing to clearly denote both sound and sense.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他跑得直喘气。
小狗热得直喘气。
他需要片刻喘息。
这里闷得喘不过气。
爬山让他气喘吁吁。
他累得几乎无法喘息。
她有气喘，不能剧烈运动。
尽管喘着粗气，他还是坚持跑完了全程。