Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "asphyxiation" shine yanayi ko tsari na rashin iskar oxygen, wanda zai iya haifar da suma ko mutuwa. Yana iya faruwa a sakamakon shaƙa, shaƙewa, ko shakar iskar gas mai guba, waɗanda ke hana iskar oxygen isa ga kyallen jikin jiki da gabobin jiki. Alamomin asphyxiation sun haɗa da dizziness, ruɗewa, saurin numfashi, da kuma asarar sani, kuma yana iya zama gaggawar likita da ke buƙatar shiga tsakani.