chuàngkětiē: 创可贴 - Band-Aid, Adhesive Bandage

• Keywords: 创可贴, chuangketie, chuàngkětiē, how to say band-aid in Chinese, adhesive bandage in Chinese, Chinese for plaster, minor cut in Chinese, first aid China, medical Chinese vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to say “Band-Aid” in Chinese with the word 创可贴 (chuàngkětiē). This page provides a comprehensive guide to its meaning, character breakdown, cultural context, and practical usage. Discover how this literal term for a “wound-can-stick” is used not only for physical cuts but also as a powerful metaphor for temporary solutions in modern China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): chuàng kě tiē
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: An adhesive bandage or plaster used for covering minor cuts and wounds.
• In a Nutshell: 创可贴 (chuàngkětiē) is the everyday Chinese word for what English speakers call a Band-Aid, plaster, or adhesive bandage. It's a beautifully logical and descriptive word. If you get a small paper cut or scrape your knee, this is the exact word you need. It’s a household staple and one of the first words you'd learn for basic first aid in Chinese.

• 创 (chuàng): This character has two common meanings: “to create” (创造, chuàngzào) and “a wound” or “injury.” In this context, it specifically means wound.
• 可 (kě): This character means “can” or “able to.” It functions here to show the capability of the object.
• 贴 (tiē): This character means “to stick” or “to paste.”

When combined, 创-可-贴 (chuàng-kě-tiē) literally means “wound-can-stick.” It's a perfect description of the product's function: a patch that you can stick on a wound. This transparency makes it very easy for learners to remember.

While a Band-Aid might seem like a simple object, the term 创可贴 reveals something interesting about modern Chinese vocabulary. Unlike in English where “Band-Aid” (a brand name) became the generic term, 创可贴 is a purely descriptive, functional name that is universally understood in the Mandarin-speaking world, regardless of the brand (like Band-Aid/邦迪, or Yunnan Baiyao/云南白药). This contrasts slightly with American culture's tendency toward “verb-ing” brand names (e.g., “Google it,” “Xerox it”). The Chinese approach here is more direct and less commercial, focusing on the object's purpose. Furthermore, the metaphorical use of 创可贴 has become very common. Calling a policy or a fix a “创可贴” implies it's a superficial, temporary solution that doesn't address the root cause of the problem—exactly like the English idiom “to put a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.” This shows the term's integration into higher-level, abstract discourse.

The use of 创可贴 is straightforward in most situations, but it's important to know its literal and figurative applications.

This is the most common usage. You use it when you have a small cut, scrape, or blister. It is used in all levels of formality, from a child asking their parent for one to discussing supplies in a professional medical setting.

In news, business, or social commentary, 创可贴 is often used metaphorically to criticize a temporary, inadequate solution to a deeper problem. This usage is more formal and analytical. It carries a slightly negative or critical connotation, suggesting a lack of foresight or true problem-solving.

• Example 1:
  • 哎呀，我的手指被纸划破了，你有创可贴吗？
  • Pinyin: Āiyā, wǒ de shǒuzhǐ bèi zhǐ huá pò le, nǐ yǒu chuàngkětiē ma?
  • English: Ouch, I got a paper cut on my finger. Do you have a Band-Aid?
  • Analysis: A very common and practical daily-life question. `被 (bèi)` indicates the passive voice (“was cut by paper”).
• Example 2:
  • 妈妈，我摔倒了，膝盖需要一个创可贴。
  • Pinyin: Māmā, wǒ shuāidǎo le, xīgài xūyào yí ge chuàngkětiē.
  • English: Mom, I fell down, my knee needs a Band-Aid.
  • Analysis: A typical sentence a child might say. `摔倒 (shuāidǎo)` means “to fall down.”
• Example 3:
  • 去药店买一些创可贴和消毒酒精。
  • Pinyin: Qù yàodiàn mǎi yìxiē chuàngkětiē hé xiāodú jiǔjīng.
  • English: Go to the pharmacy to buy some Band-Aids and disinfecting alcohol.
  • Analysis: This sentence pairs `创可贴` with other common first-aid items you would find at a `药店 (yàodiàn)`, or pharmacy.
• Example 4:
  • 这种卡通创可贴很受小孩子们的欢迎。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng kǎtōng chuàngkětiē hěn shòu xiǎo háizi men de huānyíng.
  • English: These kinds of cartoon Band-Aids are very popular with children.
  • Analysis: `卡通 (kǎtōng)` is a loanword for “cartoon.” `受…欢迎 (shòu…huānyíng)` is a common structure meaning “is popular with/among…”
• Example 5:
  • 先用清水冲洗伤口，然后再贴上创可贴。
  • Pinyin: Xiān yòng qīngshuǐ chōngxǐ shāngkǒu, ránhòu zài tiē shàng chuàngkětiē.
  • English: First, rinse the wound with clean water, and then put on a Band-Aid.
  • Analysis: This sentence demonstrates practical first-aid instructions. `贴上 (tiē shàng)` means “to stick on.”
• Example 6:
  • 我的新鞋有点磨脚，得在脚后跟贴个创可贴。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de xīn xié yǒudiǎn mó jiǎo, děi zài jiǎohòugēn tiē ge chuàngkětiē.
  • English: My new shoes are rubbing my feet a bit, I need to put a Band-Aid on my heel.
  • Analysis: Shows a common, non-injury use for `创可贴`—preventing blisters. `磨脚 (mó jiǎo)` literally means “grind feet.”
• Example 7: (Figurative)
  • 这个新规定只是一个创可贴，根本解决不了问题。
  • Pinyin: Zhè ge xīn guīdìng zhǐshì yí ge chuàngkětiē, gēnběn jiějué bùliǎo wèntí.
  • English: This new regulation is just a Band-Aid, it can't solve the fundamental problem at all.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of the metaphorical use. `根本 (gēnběn)` emphasizes that it can't solve the problem “at its root.”
• Example 8: (Figurative)
  • 我们需要的是系统性改革，而不是临时的创可贴方案。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen xūyào de shì xìtǒngxìng gǎigé, ér búshì línshí de chuàngkětiē fāng'àn.
  • English: What we need is systemic reform, not a temporary “Band-Aid” solution.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses `创可贴` as an adjective to describe a `方案 (fāng'àn)`, or plan/solution. This is a more advanced and formal usage.
• Example 9:
  • 急救箱里应该常备创可贴和绷带。
  • Pinyin: Jíjiùxiāng lǐ yīnggāi cháng bèi chuàngkětiē hé bēngdài.
  • English: The first-aid kit should always be stocked with Band-Aids and bandages.
  • Analysis: `急救箱 (jíjiùxiāng)` is “first-aid kit.” This sentence helps to differentiate `创可贴` from `绷带 (bēngdài)`, a larger bandage.
• Example 10:
  • 别担心，只是个小伤口，用创可贴就行了。
  • Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, zhǐshì ge xiǎo shāngkǒu, yòng chuàngkětiē jiù xíng le.
  • English: Don't worry, it's just a small cut, using a Band-Aid will be fine.
  • Analysis: `就行了 (jiù xíng le)` is a very useful phrase meaning “then it's okay” or “will be sufficient.” It communicates that the action is simple and enough to solve the problem.

• Mistake 1: Using it for serious injuries.
  • A 创可贴 is only for very minor cuts and scrapes. For a larger wound that requires wrapping, you need a `绷带 (bēngdài)`.
  • Incorrect: 他胳膊断了，快给他一个创可贴！(Tā gēbo duàn le, kuài gěi tā yí ge chuàngkětiē!) - “His arm is broken, quick, give him a Band-Aid!”
  • Reason: This is a severe mismatch of injury and solution. A broken arm requires a cast or sling, not a small adhesive strip.
• Mistake 2: Confusing it with medical tape.
  • While a 创可贴 is sticky, the specific term for medical adhesive tape (used to hold gauze in place) is `医用胶带 (yīyòng jiāodài)`. Using 创可贴 would be imprecise in a medical context where you need just the tape.

• 伤口 (shāngkǒu): Wound, cut, or injury. This is what a `创可贴` is designed to cover.
• 绷带 (bēngdài): A bandage or dressing, typically a roll of cloth for wrapping larger wounds. It is the correct term for more serious injuries than a `创可贴` can handle.
• 消毒 (xiāodú): To disinfect or sterilize. An action you should perform on a `伤口` before applying a `创可贴`.
• 药店 (yàodiàn): Pharmacy or drugstore. The place you would go to buy `创可贴`.
• 流血 (liúxuè): To bleed. The reason you would need a `创可贴`.
• 止血 (zhǐxuè): To stop bleeding. The primary function of applying pressure and using a bandage.
• 急救箱 (jíjiùxiāng): First-aid kit. The box where you would typically store your `创可贴`.
• 碘酒 (diǎnjiǔ): Iodine tincture. A common antiseptic used to clean a wound before bandaging.
• 邦迪 (Bāngdí): The brand name “Band-Aid” transliterated into Chinese. While people know the brand, `创可贴` remains the common generic term.