zhǐxuè: 止血 - To Stop Bleeding, Hemostasis

• Keywords: zhixue, 止血, how to say stop bleeding in Chinese, hemostasis in Chinese, medical Chinese, first aid Chinese, zhi xue, Chinese word for staunching blood, Yunnan Baiyao, cut losses in Chinese.
• Summary: Learn the essential Chinese term 止血 (zhǐxuè), meaning “to stop bleeding” or “hemostasis.” This comprehensive guide breaks down the characters 止 (to stop) and 血 (blood), explores its use in both literal first-aid situations and figurative financial contexts, and provides practical example sentences. Discover the cultural significance of traditional remedies like Yunnan Baiyao and master this crucial vocabulary for medical and everyday conversations in Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): zhǐxuè
• Part of Speech: Verb (specifically, a verb-object compound)
• HSK Level: HSK 5
• Concise Definition: To staunch the flow of blood; to stop bleeding.
• In a Nutshell: 止血 (zhǐxuè) is a very direct and literal word. It combines 'to stop' (止) and 'blood' (血). Think of it as the action you take when you get a cut—applying pressure, using a bandage, or using a styptic agent. It's a fundamental concept in first aid and medicine, but can also be used metaphorically to mean “stopping a financial loss” or “plugging a leak” in a business, similar to the English idiom “stop the bleeding.”

• 止 (zhǐ): Originally a pictograph of a foot (趾), it evolved to mean “to stop” or “to halt.” Imagine putting your foot down firmly to stop yourself from moving forward.
• 血 (xuè): This character is a pictograph of a drop of liquid inside a ceremonial vessel (皿), representing a blood sacrifice, and by extension, blood itself.
• The two characters combine in a clear, action-object structure: `[Action: 止 to stop] + [Object: 血 blood] = 止血 (to stop the blood)`. It's one of the most straightforward and intuitive compound words in Chinese.

While “stopping bleeding” is a universal medical concept, 止血 in a Chinese context carries nuances from Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). In Western medicine, stopping bleeding is a purely biomedical process of coagulation and applying pressure. In China, while these methods are of course primary, the concept of 止血 is also historically linked to herbal remedies and the balance of qi (气) and blood (血). An injury isn't just a physical break, but a disruption of the body's energy flow. The most famous cultural touchstone for 止血 is 云南白药 (Yúnnán Báiyào), or “Yunnan White Medicine.” It's a household name in China—a patented herbal powder developed in the early 20th century, renowned for its incredible hemostatic properties. It was used on the battlefields of the Sino-Japanese War and even by the Vietcong during the Vietnam War. Today, you'll find it in nearly every Chinese home's first-aid kit, not just as a powder but also in sprays, plasters, and even toothpaste (to stop gum bleeding). To many Chinese people, 止血 immediately brings to mind the image of this iconic white powder. This contrasts with the Western approach, which would focus on sterile gauze, antiseptic wipes, and band-aids. The Chinese approach, while embracing modern methods, still holds a place for these trusted, culturally significant traditional remedies.

止血 is a common and practical term used in several contexts.

• First Aid and Medical Situations: This is its most frequent use. You'll hear it after someone gets a cut, at the doctor's office, or in a pharmacy. It's a neutral, descriptive term appropriate in any setting.
  • e.g., A mother to her child who fell: “别哭，妈妈给你止血。” (Don't cry, Mommy will stop the bleeding for you.)
• Figurative Financial and Business Context: Just like in English, 止血 is used as a vivid metaphor for taking urgent action to stop losing money or resources. This usage is common in news headlines, business meetings, and economic reports.
  • e.g., A CEO at a meeting: “我们这个季度的首要任务是止血。” (Our primary task this quarter is to stop the bleeding.)

• Example 1:
  • 快用创可贴止血！
  • Pinyin: Kuài yòng chuàngkětiē zhǐxuè!
  • English: Quick, use a band-aid to stop the bleeding!
  • Analysis: A common, urgent command in a minor first-aid situation. 创可贴 (chuàngkětiē) is the word for an adhesive bandage.
• Example 2:
  • 医生用纱布按住我的伤口来止血。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng yòng shābù ànzhù wǒ de shāngkǒu lái zhǐxuè.
  • English: The doctor used gauze to apply pressure to my wound to stop the bleeding.
  • Analysis: This sentence describes a standard medical procedure. Note the structure `用 [tool] 来 [purpose]`.
• Example 3:
  • 这种神奇的药粉有很好的止血效果。
  • Pinyin: Zhè zhǒng shénqí de yàofěn yǒu hěn hǎo de zhǐxuè xiàoguǒ.
  • English: This magical medicinal powder has a very good hemostatic effect.
  • Analysis: Here, 止血 is used as an adjective to describe the noun `效果 (xiàoguǒ - effect)`. This is a common pattern.
• Example 4:
  • 我们必须立即削减开支，为公司止血。
  • Pinyin: Wǒmen bìxū lìjí xuējiǎn kāizhī, wèi gōngsī zhǐxuè.
  • English: We must immediately cut expenses to stop the bleeding for the company.
  • Analysis: A perfect example of the figurative business usage. `为 (wèi)` means “for” or “on behalf of.”
• Example 5:
  • 你有没有可以止血的东西？我手指划破了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ yǒu méiyǒu kěyǐ zhǐxuè de dōngxi? Wǒ shǒuzhǐ huápò le.
  • English: Do you have anything that can stop bleeding? I cut my finger.
  • Analysis: A very practical question. `可以止血的东西` (kěyǐ zhǐxuè de dōngxi) literally means “a thing that can stop bleeding.”
• Example 6:
  • 他用手紧紧压住伤口，但血还是没止住。
  • Pinyin: Tā yòng shǒu jǐnjǐn yāzhù shāngkǒu, dàn xuè háishì méi zhǐzhù.
  • English: He pressed the wound tightly with his hand, but the bleeding still didn't stop.
  • Analysis: This introduces the resultative complement `住 (zhù)`. `止住 (zhǐzhù)` means to “succeed in stopping.” `没止住` means “failed to stop.” This is a very important grammar point.
• Example 7:
  • 云南白药是一种家喻户晓的止血药。
  • Pinyin: Yúnnán Báiyào shì yī zhǒng jiāyùhùxiǎo de zhǐxuè yào.
  • English: Yunnan Baiyao is a household name hemostatic medicine.
  • Analysis: This sentence provides cultural context, using the idiom 家喻户晓 (jiāyùhùxiǎo), meaning “known to every household.”
• Example 8:
  • 在找到新的盈利模式之前，我们的首要任务是止血。
  • Pinyin: Zài zhǎodào xīn de yínglì móshì zhīqián, wǒmen de shǒuyào rènwù shì zhǐxuè.
  • English: Before finding a new profit model, our primary task is to staunch the losses.
  • Analysis: Another high-level business example, showing its use in strategic discussions.
• Example 9:
  • 牙龈出血时，用含有止血成分的牙膏会很有帮助。
  • Pinyin: Yáyín chūxuè shí, yòng hányǒu zhǐxuè chéngfèn de yāgāo huì hěn yǒu bāngzhù.
  • English: When your gums are bleeding, using a toothpaste that contains hemostatic ingredients can be very helpful.
  • Analysis: Shows how 止血 can be used to describe an ingredient or component (`成分 chéngfèn`).
• Example 10:
  • 战场上，士兵们学会了如何快速有效地止血。
  • Pinyin: Zhànchǎng shàng, shìbīngmen xuéhuì le rúhé kuàisù yǒuxiào de zhǐxuè.
  • English: On the battlefield, soldiers learned how to stop bleeding quickly and effectively.
  • Analysis: This example places the term in a serious, historical context.

• 止血 (zhǐxuè) vs. 停止流血 (tíngzhǐ liúxuè): While both can be translated as “stop bleeding,” 止血 is the more common, concise, and idiomatic term for the action of staunching blood. 停止流血 is a more literal, descriptive phrase meaning “to cease bleeding” and often refers to the result.
  • Correct: 快止血！(Quick, stop the bleeding!)
  • Less Natural: 快停止流血！(Quick, cease bleeding!) - This sounds more like a description of a goal than a command.
• It's an Action, Not a State: A common mistake is to use 止血 to describe the state of a wound.
  • Incorrect: 我的伤口在止血。 (My wound is stopping bleeding.)
  • Correct: 我在给伤口止血。 (I am stopping the bleeding for the wound.)
  • Correct: 我的伤口止血了。 (My wound has stopped bleeding.)
• Don't Overuse the Metaphor: While the financial meaning is valid and widely understood, the primary meaning of 止血 is overwhelmingly medical. In casual conversation, it will always be interpreted literally unless the context is clearly about business or finance.

• 流血 (liúxuè) - To bleed. The direct problem that 止血 is the solution to.
• 出血 (chūxuè) - Hemorrhage, bleeding. A more formal, medical term for bleeding, often used for internal bleeding.
• 伤口 (shāngkǒu) - Wound, cut. The physical location that needs 止血.
• 创可贴 (chuàngkětiē) - Band-Aid, adhesive bandage. A common tool used for 止血 on small cuts.
• 纱布 (shābù) - Gauze. Used for larger wounds to apply pressure and 止血.
• 急救 (jíjiù) - First aid. 止血 is one of the most fundamental skills in 急救.
• 云南白药 (Yúnnán Báiyào) - A famous Chinese patent medicine used to 止血, carrying significant cultural weight.
• 亏损 (kuīsǔn) - Financial loss, deficit. This is the “bleeding” that needs to be stopped in the figurative business sense.
• 凝血 (níngxuè) - Coagulation, blood clotting. The body's natural physiological process of 止血.