dòudou: 痘痘 - Pimple, Zit, Acne

• Keywords: doudou, 痘痘, Chinese for pimple, Chinese for acne, zhang dou dou, 长痘痘, squeeze pimple in Chinese, 挤痘痘, skincare in China, C-beauty, Chinese beauty standards, 上火, shànghuǒ, 青春痘, qīngchūndòu.
• Summary: “Dòudou” (痘痘) is the common Chinese word for pimples, zits, or a breakout. It's an essential term for anyone interested in daily life, health, and skincare culture in China (C-beauty). Far more than just a blemish, understanding “doudou” and related phrases like “zhǎng dòudou” (长痘痘, to get a pimple) offers a window into Chinese beauty standards and the popular Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) concept of “shànghuǒ” (上火), or internal heat, as a cause for skin issues.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): dòudou
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: N/A (but an extremely common daily-life word)
• Concise Definition: A small, inflamed spot on the skin; a pimple or zit.
• In a Nutshell: `痘痘` is the everyday, informal word you use to talk about pimples. Think of how you'd complain to a friend, “Ugh, I got a zit!”—that's the perfect context for `痘痘`. The reduplication of the character `痘` (dòu) makes it feel colloquial and common, a part of everyday life (even if it's an unwelcome one). It can refer to a single pimple or a general breakout of acne.

• 痘 (dòu): This character is a great example of a phono-semantic compound.
  • The radical on the left is `疒` (nè), which means “sickness” or “illness.” This radical is found in many characters related to diseases and ailments.
  • The component on the right is `豆` (dòu), which means “bean.” It provides the sound for the character.
• Combining the Characters: The character `痘` (dòu) literally paints a picture of a “bean-like sickness,” a perfect visual for a small, round blemish on the skin. Repeating it to form `痘痘` (dòudou) is a common form of Chinese emphasis called reduplication, which makes the term more conversational and suitable for everyday use.

In Chinese culture, particularly among younger generations, the concept of `痘痘` carries significant weight, tying into deep-seated ideas about health, beauty, and self-care.

• Beauty Standards & Social Pressure: Clear, flawless skin is a cornerstone of modern Chinese beauty ideals, often portrayed as “porcelain” or “glass” skin. This ideal is heavily promoted by celebrities and social media influencers. As a result, having `痘痘` can be a major source of stress and social anxiety, making it a frequent topic of conversation and a huge driver of the C-beauty (Chinese Beauty) market.
• Connection to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): This is a key cultural difference from the West. While Western medicine views acne primarily as a dermatological issue caused by bacteria, hormones, and oil, TCM often links `痘痘` to an internal imbalance, specifically `上火` (shànghuǒ), or “excessive internal heat.”
  • Western View: “I have a pimple because my pores are clogged.”
  • Chinese View: “I'm getting pimples (我长痘痘了) because I've been eating too much spicy food and now I have `上火` (internal heat).”
  • Different locations of `痘痘` are even believed to signal problems with specific internal organs (e.g., forehead acne linked to the heart/stress, chin acne to the digestive/hormonal system). This holistic view means that remedies often include dietary changes (like drinking herbal teas) in addition to topical treatments.

`痘痘` is an extremely common word used in various informal situations.

• Daily Conversation: People use it to complain about their skin, share skincare tips, and discuss health. A very common phrase is `长痘痘` (zhǎng dòudou), which literally means “to grow a pimple.”
• Skincare and Advertising: The character `痘` is everywhere in the skincare aisle. You'll see products with claims like `祛痘` (qùdòu), which means “to eliminate/treat pimples.”
• Social Media: On platforms like Weibo and Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book), the hashtag #痘痘 is massive. Users share product reviews, “pimple-popping” videos (a popular guilty pleasure), and tips for covering or treating breakouts.
• Common Phrases:
  • `长痘痘 (zhǎng dòudou)` - to get a pimple/break out.
  • `挤痘痘 (jǐ dòudou)` - to squeeze a pimple. (Often followed by advice not to do it!)
  • `发痘痘 (fā dòudou)` - another way to say “break out,” similar to `长痘痘`.

• Example 1:
  • 天啊，我的鼻子上长了一颗大痘痘！
  • Pinyin: Tiān a, wǒ de bízi shàng zhǎng le yí kē dà dòudou!
  • English: Oh my gosh, I got a big pimple on my nose!
  • Analysis: This is a classic, everyday complaint. `长了 (zhǎng le)` means “grew,” the standard verb for getting a pimple. `一颗 (yì kē)` is a measure word for small, round things.
• Example 2:
  • 你最好别用手挤痘痘，不然会留疤的。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zuìhǎo bié yòng shǒu jǐ dòudou, bùrán huì liú bā de.
  • English: You'd better not squeeze your pimples with your hands, or else you'll get scars.
  • Analysis: `挤痘痘 (jǐ dòudou)` is a very common verb phrase. This sentence is a typical piece of advice a friend or parent might give.
• Example 3:
  • 我最近压力很大，所以脸上不停地长痘痘。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuìjìn yālì hěn dà, suǒyǐ liǎn shàng bù tíng de zhǎng dòudou.
  • English: I've been under a lot of stress lately, so I keep getting pimples on my face.
  • Analysis: This sentence shows the common understanding that stress can cause breakouts.
• Example 4:
  • 这款祛痘产品效果怎么样？
  • Pinyin: Zhè kuǎn qùdòu chǎnpǐn xiàoguǒ zěnmeyàng?
  • English: How effective is this acne-fighting product?
  • Analysis: Here, `痘` is used in `祛痘 (qùdòu)`, a compound word meaning “to treat acne.” This is very common in commercial contexts. `款 (kuǎn)` is a measure word for products.
• Example 5:
  • 你是不是上火了？额头上的痘痘好多。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì bu shì shànghuǒ le? Étóu shàng de dòudou hǎo duō.
  • English: Do you have 'internal heat'? You have so many pimples on your forehead.
  • Analysis: This is a perfect example linking `痘痘` to the TCM concept of `上火 (shànghuǒ)`. It shows how culture is embedded in daily language.
• Example 6:
  • 吃太多辣的或者油炸的食物容易长痘痘。
  • Pinyin: Chī tài duō là de huòzhě yóuzhá de shíwù róngyì zhǎng dòudou.
  • English: Eating too much spicy or deep-fried food makes it easy to get pimples.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the widespread belief in dietary triggers for acne in China.
• Example 7:
  • 青春期的时候，我脸上全是痘痘。
  • Pinyin: Qīngchūnqī de shíhou, wǒ liǎn shàng quán shì dòudou.
  • English: During puberty, my face was covered in acne.
  • Analysis: Shows how `痘痘` can be used to describe the general condition of acne, especially in the past tense. `青春期 (qīngchūnqī)` means puberty.
• Example 8:
  • 这颗痘痘又红又肿，疼死我了。
  • Pinyin: Zhè kē dòudou yòu hóng yòu zhǒng, téng sǐ wǒ le.
  • English: This pimple is red and swollen, it's killing me.
  • Analysis: The `又…又… (yòu…yòu…)` structure is used to list two qualities. `疼死我了 (téng sǐ wǒ le)` is a common exaggeration meaning “it hurts so much.”
• Example 9:
  • 我不想化妆，因为我怕堵塞毛孔，让痘痘更严重。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù xiǎng huàzhuāng, yīnwèi wǒ pà dǔsè máokǒng, ràng dòudou gèng yánzhòng.
  • English: I don't want to wear makeup because I'm afraid it will clog my pores and make my acne worse.
  • Analysis: This sentence uses more specific skincare vocabulary like `化妆 (huàzhuāng)` (to put on makeup) and `堵塞毛孔 (dǔsè máokǒng)` (to clog pores).
• Example 10:
  • 痘痘下去了，可是留下了很多红色的痘印。
  • Pinyin: Dòudou xiàqù le, kěshì liú xià le hěn duō hóngsè de dòuyìn.
  • English: The pimples have gone down, but they left behind a lot of red marks.
  • Analysis: Introduces the related and very important concept of `痘印 (dòuyìn)`, or the post-acne marks/scars. `下去了 (xiàqù le)` is a colloquial way to say something has subsided or gone away.

• `痘痘` vs. `青春痘` vs. `痤疮`:
  • `痘痘` (dòudou): The general, informal term for “pimple(s)” or “zit(s).” Use this in 95% of daily conversations.
  • `青春痘` (qīngchūndòu): Literally “youth pimple.” Refers specifically to teenage acne but is also used colloquially by adults to refer to acne in general. It's slightly more formal than `痘痘`.
  • `痤疮` (cuóchuāng): The formal, medical term for “acne.” You would see this on a doctor's report or in a medical journal, but you would almost never say it in a conversation with a friend. Using `痤疮` in a casual chat would sound overly clinical and strange.
• Don't Just Translate, Contextualize: A common mistake is to think of `痘痘` only in a Western dermatological context. Remember the cultural link to `上火` (internal heat). When a Chinese friend complains about `痘痘`, a culturally aware response might be, “Have you been eating a lot of spicy food lately?” (`你最近是不是吃了很多辣的？`) rather than just “Oh, that's too bad.”
• Always use the pair `痘痘`: While `痘` exists as a character, it's almost never used alone as a noun in modern Mandarin. Always say the full, reduplicated word `痘痘`. The main exception is in compound words like `祛痘 (qùdòu)`.

• 上火 (shànghuǒ) - A core TCM concept of “internal heat,” widely seen as the primary cause of pimples, canker sores, and sore throats.
• 青春痘 (qīngchūndòu) - “Youth pimples”; the common term for teenage acne.
• 祛痘 (qùdòu) - A verb phrase meaning “to eliminate/treat pimples,” commonly seen on skincare products.
• 痘印 (dòuyìn) - “Pimple marks”; the post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (red or brown spots) left after a pimple heals.
• 挤痘痘 (jǐ dòudou) - The verb phrase “to squeeze a pimple.”
• 粉刺 (fěncì) - A more specific term for blackheads and whiteheads (comedones).
• 痤疮 (cuóchuāng) - The formal, medical term for acne vulgaris.
• 护肤 (hùfū) - The general term for “skincare.”
• 油性皮肤 (yóuxìng pífū) - “Oily skin,” a skin type often associated with getting `痘痘`.
• 毛孔 (máokǒng) - “Pores” (on the skin).