咳嗽
késou
cough
咳嗽 means cough. It is a common symptom to describe at a pharmacy or hospital visit.
Example sentences
我咳嗽得很厉害。
Wǒ késou de hěn lìhai.
I am coughing badly.
你有没有咳嗽的药？
Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu késou de yào?
Do you have cough medicine?
How to use 咳嗽 in practice
咳嗽 is a health & medical item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin késou, then connect it to the meaning “cough” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 我咳嗽得很厉害。 / 你有没有咳嗽的药？.
When you practice 咳嗽, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 咳嗽 only as “cough” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Pharmacy medicine phrases guide, start a short conversation, and use 咳嗽 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 咳嗽 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only késou, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
How do I say "dry cough" vs "wet cough"?
干咳 is a dry cough. 湿咳 or 有痰的咳嗽 describes a wet cough with phlegm.
How can I remember 咳嗽 faster?
Say 咳嗽 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 咳嗽 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 咳嗽 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach