fāyán: 发炎 - Inflammation, To Become Inflamed

• Keywords: fāyán, fayan, 发炎, inflammation in Chinese, infection Chinese, sore throat Chinese, medical Chinese, body parts inflamed, Chinese for doctor, Chinese medicine, 上火, shànghuǒ, 消炎药, xiāoyányào.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese medical term 发炎 (fāyán), which means “inflammation” or “to become inflamed.” This page will teach you how to use 发炎 (fāyán) to describe common symptoms like a sore throat, a skin rash, or a swollen cut when talking to a doctor or friend in China. We'll break down the characters, explore its connection to the traditional Chinese concept of 上火 (shànghuǒ), and provide dozens of practical example sentences so you can use it accurately and confidently.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): fā yán
• Part of Speech: Verb-object compound (can function as a verb or a noun)
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To become inflamed; the condition of inflammation.
• In a Nutshell: 发炎 (fāyán) is your go-to word in Chinese for describing the body's reaction to injury or infection—the classic signs of redness, swelling, heat, and pain. Whether your throat is sore, your gums are bleeding, or a cut is getting red and puffy, 发炎 is the word you need. It's a standard medical term used by everyone, from doctors in modern hospitals to your friends and family.

• 发 (fā): This character means “to erupt,” “to break out,” or “to develop.” Think of it as the start of a process, like starting a fire or an idea suddenly appearing.
• 炎 (yán): This is a vivid pictograph made of two fire radicals (火 - huǒ) stacked on top of each other. It literally means “blazing,” “flame,” or “scorching hot,” perfectly capturing the feeling of heat.

When combined, 发炎 (fāyán) literally translates to “to erupt in flames.” This powerful image perfectly describes the medical concept of inflammation: a condition that “breaks out” and is characterized by heat and redness.

While 发炎 (fāyán) is a standard term in modern, Western-style medicine (西医 - xīyī) in China, its understanding is deeply colored by Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM - 中医 - zhōngyī). The most important related concept is 上火 (shànghuǒ), which translates to “rising fire” or “internal heat.” Many Chinese people believe that symptoms of inflammation (发炎), such as a sore throat or acne, are caused by an imbalance in the body leading to 上火. This imbalance can be triggered by eating “heaty” (热气 - rèqì) foods like fried chicken, spicy hot pot, or lychees, as well as by stress or lack of sleep. A Westerner might say, “I think all that junk food made me feel sick.” In contrast, a Chinese person might explicitly say, “我吃了太多辣的，上火了，所以喉咙发炎了” (Wǒ chīle tài duō là de, shànghuǒ le, suǒyǐ hóulóng fāyán le) - “I ate too much spicy food, got 'internal heat,' and that's why my throat is inflamed.” So, while a doctor will give you a clinical diagnosis of 发炎, your friends or family will often explain it through the cultural lens of 上火. Understanding this connection is key to grasping how health and diet are discussed in daily Chinese life.

发炎 (fāyán) is a high-frequency, practical term used in a variety of everyday situations.

• At the Doctor's Office: This is the most common and important context. You use it to describe your symptoms directly. It's a neutral, clinical term that every doctor understands.
• Casual Conversation: People use it to explain why they aren't feeling well, why they are avoiding certain foods, or why they need to rest.
• On Social Media: Someone might post “喉咙又发炎了，蓝瘦香菇” (Hóulóng yòu fāyán le, lán shòu xiāng gū) - “My throat is inflamed again, so sad” (using a popular internet slang for 'sad').

The connotation is neutral to negative, as it describes an uncomfortable physical condition. It is used in both formal and informal settings without any change in meaning.

• Example 1:
  • 医生，我的喉咙有点儿发炎，很疼。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng, wǒ de hóulóng yǒudiǎnr fāyán, hěn téng.
  • English: Doctor, my throat is a little inflamed and very painful.
  • Analysis: A classic and essential sentence for visiting a doctor in China. It clearly states the problem and location.
• Example 2:
  • 你的伤口看起来红红的，是不是发炎了？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ de shāngkǒu kànqǐlái hónghóng de, shì bu shì fāyán le?
  • English: Your wound looks red. Is it inflamed?
  • Analysis: This shows how 发炎 is used as a question to diagnose a situation. `红红的 (hónghóng de)` means “reddish” and is a common descriptor for inflammation.
• Example 3:
  • 我最近老是熬夜，结果牙龈发炎了，还流血。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuìjìn lǎoshì áoyè, jiéguǒ yáyín fāyán le, hái liúxuè.
  • English: I've been staying up late a lot recently, and as a result, my gums got inflamed and are also bleeding.
  • Analysis: This connects a lifestyle choice (熬夜 - áoyè, staying up late) to a specific health outcome, which is very common in Chinese culture.
• Example 4:
  • 别用脏手碰你的痘痘，不然很容易发炎。
  • Pinyin: Bié yòng zāng shǒu pèng nǐ de dòudou, bùrán hěn róngyì fāyán.
  • English: Don't touch your pimples with dirty hands, otherwise they'll easily get inflamed.
  • Analysis: A practical piece of advice. `不然 (bùrán)` means “otherwise” and is great for setting up cause-and-effect sentences.
• Example 5:
  • 大夫给我开了一点消炎药来治疗眼睛的发炎。
  • Pinyin: Dàifu gěi wǒ kāi le yìdiǎn xiāoyányào lái zhìliáo yǎnjīng de fāyán.
  • English: The doctor prescribed me some anti-inflammatory medicine to treat my eye inflammation.
  • Analysis: Here, 发炎 is used as a noun (“the inflammation of the eye”). This sentence also introduces the crucial related term `消炎药 (xiāoyányào)`, anti-inflammatory medicine.
• Example 6:
  • 他的耳朵发炎了，所以游泳课去不了了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de ěrduo fāyán le, suǒyǐ yóuyǒng kè qù bù liǎo le.
  • English: His ear is inflamed, so he can't go to swimming class.
  • Analysis: Demonstrates a simple cause-and-effect statement about how inflammation affects daily activities.
• Example 7:
  • 吃了太多海鲜，我的皮肤开始发炎过敏。
  • Pinyin: Chī le tài duō hǎixiān, wǒ de pífū kāishǐ fāyán guòmǐn.
  • English: After eating too much seafood, my skin started to get inflamed and allergic.
  • Analysis: This shows how 发炎 can be paired with another condition, `过敏 (guòmǐn)`, which means “allergy” or “to be allergic.”
• Example 8:
  • 检查结果显示，他的肠胃有轻微的发炎。
  • Pinyin: Jiǎnchá jiéguǒ xiǎnshì, tā de chángwèi yǒu qīngwēi de fāyán.
  • English: The check-up results show that he has slight inflammation in his gastrointestinal tract.
  • Analysis: A more formal, clinical example. `轻微 (qīngwēi)` means “slight” or “minor,” a common modifier for 发炎.
• Example 9:
  • 为了防止伤口发炎，你必须每天消毒。
  • Pinyin: Wèile fángzhǐ shāngkǒu fāyán, nǐ bìxū měitiān xiāodú.
  • English: In order to prevent the wound from getting inflamed, you must disinfect it every day.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows how to talk about preventing inflammation. `防止 (fángzhǐ)` means “to prevent.”
• Example 10:
  • 我感觉全身都在发炎，又酸又痛。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ gǎnjué quánshēn dōu zài fāyán, yòu suān yòu tòng.
  • English: I feel like my whole body is inflamed, sore and aching.
  • Analysis: While not medically literal, this is a common exaggeration to describe feeling very sick and feverish, similar to saying “I feel like I'm on fire” in English.

• 发炎 (fāyán) vs. 感染 (gǎnrǎn) - Inflammation vs. Infection: This is the most critical distinction for learners.
  • 发炎 (fāyán) is the *symptom* or the body's *response*: redness, swelling, heat, pain.
  • 感染 (gǎnrǎn) is the *cause*: a bacterial or viral infection.
  • Correct usage: 我的伤口感染了细菌，所以现在发炎得又红又肿。(Wǒ de shāngkǒu gǎnrǎn le xìjūn, suǒyǐ xiànzài fāyán de yòu hóng yòu zhǒng.) - “My wound was infected by bacteria, so now it's inflamed, red, and swollen.” An infection often *causes* inflammation.
• 发炎 (fāyán) vs. 上火 (shànghuǒ) - Clinical Term vs. Cultural Concept:
  • Use 发炎 when talking to a doctor or describing a specific, visible medical symptom.
  • Use 上火 (shànghuǒ) when talking with friends about the *perceived cause* of your symptoms, especially related to diet or lifestyle. A doctor will diagnose 发炎, but your grandmother will say it's because of 上火.
• Don't Use for General Soreness: If your muscles are sore after a workout, the correct term is 酸痛 (suāntòng), not 发炎. Use 发炎 only when the signs of inflammation (especially redness, swelling, or heat) are present.

• 消炎药 (xiāoyányào) - The direct cure for 发炎; anti-inflammatory medicine (literally “eliminate inflammation medicine”).
• 上火 (shànghuǒ) - The Traditional Chinese Medicine concept of “internal heat,” often seen as the cultural cause of 发炎.
• 感染 (gǎnrǎn) - Infection; the medical cause that often leads to 发炎.
• 红肿 (hóngzhǒng) - Red and swollen; two of the most common signs of 发炎.
• 疼痛 (téngtòng) - Pain / ache; a general term for pain, which is a key symptom of 发炎.
• 过敏 (guòmǐn) - Allergy / to be allergic; a condition that can cause skin or other parts of the body to 发炎.
• 症状 (zhèngzhuàng) - Symptom; 发炎 itself is a common medical symptom.
• 喉咙 (hóulóng) - Throat; one of the most common body parts to 发炎.