US Medical Term · symptoms
Hemoptysis (Coughing Up Blood)
Hemoptisis
Also: Toser sangre (regional variant)
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Hemoptysis (Coughing Up Blood) |
| Spanish (Español) | Hemoptisis |
| Chinese (中文) | 咯血 |
| Korean (한국어) | 객혈 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Ho ra máu |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Pag-ubo ng dugo |
| Portuguese (Português) | Hemoptise |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ไอเป็นเลือด |
| Japanese (日本語) | 喀血 |
What it means
Hemoptysis means coughing up blood or blood-tinged mucus from the lungs or airways. Even a small amount of blood in the sputum warrants medical evaluation. Causes range from a minor bronchial infection or irritation to serious conditions such as tuberculosis, lung cancer, pulmonary embolism, or severe pneumonia. Large amounts of blood, blood appearing alongside significant chest pain or shortness of breath, or hemoptysis in a person who smokes or has risk factors for lung disease requires emergency evaluation. Do not confuse hemoptysis with blood originating from the nose, mouth, or stomach.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
I coughed up blood this morning and it scared me.
Esta mañana tosí sangre y me asustó mucho.
There are streaks of blood in the mucus when I cough.
Hay rayas de sangre en la flema cuando toso.
I coughed up a significant amount of bright red blood.
Tosí una cantidad considerable de sangre roja brillante.
Where you'll see it
Related ICD-10-CM category
R04 Hemorrhage from respiratory passagesRelated terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026