Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "ciwon kai" yana da alaƙa da ko sha'awar sha'awa mara kyau kuma mara kyau ga batutuwa masu tayar da hankali da marasa dadi, musamman mutuwa da cututtuka. Hakanan yana iya komawa ga yanayin rashin lafiya ko rashin lafiya, ko samun rashin lafiya ko rashin lafiya na hankali ko jiki.