shoushang: 受伤 - To Be Injured, To Get Hurt

• Keywords: 受伤, shoushang, shou shang, get hurt in Chinese, injured in Chinese, physical injury Chinese, emotional hurt Chinese, Chinese vocabulary, learn Chinese, 受傷
• Summary: Learn how to use the essential Chinese word 受伤 (shòushāng), which means “to be injured” or “to get hurt.” This guide covers its use for both physical injuries, like from an accident or sports, and emotional pain, such as heartbreak or hurt feelings. Understand the character origins, cultural nuances, and see practical examples to avoid common mistakes and express yourself accurately in Mandarin Chinese.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): shòu shāng
• Part of Speech: Verb (Verb-Object Compound)
• HSK Level: HSK 4
• Concise Definition: To receive an injury or wound; to be hurt (physically or emotionally).
• In a Nutshell: 受伤 (shòushāng) is a passive verb describing the state of having been injured. Think of it as “receiving a wound.” It's the go-to term whether you've twisted your ankle, gotten into an accident, or had your feelings hurt by someone's words. The key is that something or someone *caused* this hurt *to you*.

• 受 (shòu): This character means “to receive,” “to accept,” or “to suffer.” Pictorially, it can be imagined as one hand (at the top) passing something to another (at the bottom). It implies passively being on the receiving end of an action.
• 伤 (shāng): This character means “injury,” “wound,” or “to harm.” The radical on the left is a person (人). The character signifies a person who has been damaged or wounded.

When combined, 受伤 (shòu shāng) literally means “to receive an injury.” This structure perfectly captures the meaning of being hurt by an external force or event.

In Chinese, 受伤 (shòushāng) bridges the gap between physical and emotional pain in a way that the English word “hurt” does. However, its usage has subtle cultural implications. Physically, expressing that someone is 受伤 is a straightforward statement of fact and a cue for others to show care and concern, which is a strong social expectation. Emotionally, however, the concept is more nuanced. While English speakers might casually say “that hurt my feelings,” saying “我受伤了 (wǒ shòushāng le)” can carry a heavier weight, implying a deeper, more significant emotional wound. It's less about a fleeting feeling and more about a lasting impact. In a culture that traditionally valued emotional stoicism, admitting you are emotionally 受伤 can be a sign of great vulnerability and trust in the person you're telling. This is changing with younger generations, but the weight of the term often remains. The term's passive nature (from 受) is also significant. It frames the experience not as an action you took, but as something that happened *to* you. This can be used to elicit sympathy or to describe a situation where one was a victim, whether of an accident or of harsh words.

受伤 (shòushāng) is a common and versatile word used in many contexts, from the emergency room to a chat about a bad breakup.

This is the most direct usage. It's used in news reports about accidents, conversations about sports injuries, or simply when someone gets a cut or sprain. It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal settings.

When used emotionally, 受伤 describes a feeling of being wounded by someone's actions or words. It's stronger than just being sad (难过 - nánguò) or angry (生气 - shēngqì). It implies a sense of betrayal, deep disappointment, or having one's trust broken. People often use it in the context of relationships, friendships, and family disputes. On social media, you might see posts like “心受伤了” (xīn shòushāng le - my heart is hurt).

• Example 1:
  • 小心点，别受伤！
  • Pinyin: Xiǎoxīn diǎn, bié shòushāng!
  • English: Be careful, don't get hurt!
  • Analysis: A common warning. Here, 受伤 refers to potential physical injury.
• Example 2:
  • 他在足球比赛中腿受伤了。
  • Pinyin: Tā zài zúqiú bǐsài zhōng tuǐ shòushāng le.
  • English: His leg got injured in the soccer match.
  • Analysis: A typical example of describing a physical injury. Note how the body part (腿 - tuǐ) comes before the verb.
• Example 3:
  • 你说的话让我感觉很受伤。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shuō de huà ràng wǒ gǎnjué hěn shòushāng.
  • English: The words you said made me feel very hurt.
  • Analysis: This clearly shows the emotional usage of the term. It's a direct and serious way to express emotional pain.
• Example 4:
  • 你受伤了吗？要不要去医院？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shòushāng le ma? Yào bu yào qù yīyuàn?
  • English: Are you injured? Do you need to go to the hospital?
  • Analysis: A standard way to show concern after a potential accident.
• Example 5:
  • 这次分手让她受伤很深。
  • Pinyin: Zhè cì fēnshǒu ràng tā shòushāng hěn shēn.
  • English: This breakup hurt her very deeply.
  • Analysis: The adverb 深 (shēn - deep) is often used with emotional 受伤 to describe the intensity of the pain.
• Example 6:
  • 虽然他没有受伤，但是他吓坏了。
  • Pinyin: Suīrán tā méiyǒu shòushāng, dànshì tā xià huài le.
  • English: Although he wasn't injured, he was terrified.
  • Analysis: Shows how to negate the term. “没有受伤” means “not injured” or “uninjured.”
• Example 7:
  • 请不要触摸我受伤的手臂。
  • Pinyin: Qǐng búyào chùmō wǒ shòushāng de shǒubì.
  • English: Please don't touch my injured arm.
  • Analysis: Here, 受伤的 (shòushāng de) acts as an adjective modifying “arm” (手臂 - shǒubì).
• Example 8:
  • 地震造成数百人受伤。
  • Pinyin: Dìzhèn zàochéng shù bǎi rén shòushāng.
  • English: The earthquake caused several hundred people to be injured.
  • Analysis: A formal usage, typical of news reporting.
• Example 9:
  • 他的自尊心受伤了。
  • Pinyin: Tā de zìzūnxīn shòushāng le.
  • English: His self-esteem was hurt.
  • Analysis: An excellent example of 受伤 being used for abstract concepts like pride or esteem.
• Example 10:
  • 我不想再看到任何人受伤。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bùxiǎng zài kàndào rènhé rén shòushāng.
  • English: I don't want to see anyone else get hurt.
  • Analysis: A general statement expressing a wish to prevent both physical and emotional harm.

• 受伤 (shòushāng) vs. 疼 (téng) / 痛 (tòng): This is the most common mistake for learners.
  • 受伤 (shòushāng) is the event of *getting injured*. It's the cause.
  • 疼 (téng) / 痛 (tòng) is the sensation of *pain*. It's the effect.
  • Correct: 我昨天踢球受伤了 (I got injured playing soccer yesterday), 所以我的脚现在很疼 (so my foot hurts a lot now).
  • Incorrect: 我的头受伤了。 (Unless you have a physical head wound). If you just have a headache, you should say: 我头疼 (Wǒ tóu téng).
• It Cannot Take a Direct Object: 受伤 is a “verb-object compound” (受 is the verb, 伤 is the object). This means you cannot add another object after it.
  • Incorrect: 他受伤了我的心。 (He injured my heart.)
  • Correct (Option 1): 我的心受伤了。 (My heart was injured.) - The object becomes the subject.
  • Correct (Option 2): 他伤害了我的心。 (He harmed my heart.) - Use the active verb 伤害 (shānghài).
• 受伤 vs. 坏了 (huàile): 坏了 means “broken” and is used for objects, not people. Saying a person is 坏了 is a serious mistake.
  • Incorrect: 我的腿坏了。
  • Correct: 我的腿受伤了 or 我的腿断了 (duànle - is broken/snapped).

• 伤害 (shānghài) - To harm, to hurt (someone/something). This is the *active* verb. If A hurts B, you say A 伤害 B.
• 伤心 (shāngxīn) - Sad, heartbroken (literally “injured heart”). This is an adjective specifically for emotional sadness, a result of being 受伤.
• 疼 (téng) - To be sore, to ache. The physical sensation of pain.
• 痛 (tòng) - Pain, ache. A synonym for 疼, sometimes implying a sharper or more intense pain.
• 难过 (nánguò) - Sad, to feel bad. A general term for sadness, less intense or specific than emotional 受伤.
• 伤口 (shāngkǒu) - A wound, a cut. The physical evidence of a physical 受伤.
• 挂彩 (guàcǎi) - A colloquial term meaning “to get lightly wounded,” especially in a way that draws blood.
• 受伤者 (shòushāngzhě) - The injured person, the victim (formal).