Comments on: Stump the Laowai: shànghuǒ 上火

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 03:20:04 +0000

I’ve always assumed 上火 could be translated as “choleric”, which would confuse both the Chinese and Laowai in the room. It seems to relate to the 4 humors of Hippocrates that were incorporated into Medieval medicine. For example, yellow bile is related to the gall bladder, the “temper” is “choleric” and the nature is “warm dry”.

Note this translation from Taming of the Shrew I found on the internet:

GRUMIO. I cannot tell; I fear ’tis choleric. What say you to a piece of beef and mustard?
葛鲁米奥：我不大放心，恐怕它也是上火的。胡椒牛肉好不好？

Choleric people have “a lot of ambition, energy, and passion” and “can dominate people of other temperaments, especially phlegmatic types.” The other four humors could possibly align with the other Chinese elements of water, earth or metal.

By: Albert

Albert — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:29:55 +0000

Jonathan,

Yes, thanks. Fixed!

By: Jonathan

Jonathan — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 16:53:11 +0000

Sorry, but have to point it out:
It should not be 炝，but 呛。
炝 is a technique used in Chinese cooking. And 呛 is the right translation of choking.

By: William Fitzgerald

William Fitzgerald — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 15:47:21 +0000

A Repetitive illness that keeps on causing you to suffer in some way e.g. (choking, nosebleed) but in modern times if somebody is annoying you constantly, it can be said that you are “上火”
那人办的事让我很上火
 那件事情让我很上火

By: JamesD

JamesD — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:39:19 +0000

Thanks for the useful info. It’s so interesting

By: John

John — Mon, 04 May 2009 07:43:05 +0000

Suffering from excessive internal heat (in Chinese Medicine).

By: Julia

Julia — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:51:10 +0000

around Nanjing – Jiangsu province we usually say, 降火,消火. 泄火 sounds more like a medicial term, or I can imagine it could be from Guangdong area. Robert should know it.

去火 is normally used together with 清热，清热去火，but seldom on its own. I would understand 出火 as 上火 although it’s not often used nor heard around my region.

By: Bob Nolte

Bob Nolte — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 05:32:32 +0000

Throat irritation?

By: Joel

Joel — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 15:52:37 +0000

i hope it comes with options to toggle it on and off… I wouln’t want every single character hyperlinked.

By: Albert

Albert — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 12:15:12 +0000

oh ho HO! You like that? I’m afraid I’m not quite able to tell you about that sweet little trick. Just hang on.