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Objective: Embitterment and post‐traumatic embitterment disorder (PTED) is critical, merging through different cultures. We explored the prevalence and related clinical characteristics of PTED of inpatients in a general hospital in China. Method: Two hundred inpatients (aged 18–65 years) from different departments were recruited by convenient sampling and standardized diagnostic interviews of PTED. Demographic data, Post‐traumatic Embitterment Disorder Self‐Rating Scale (PTED‐21), the Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ‐9), Generalized Anxiety Disorder‐7 (GAD‐7) and the Patient Health Questionnaire depression scale (PHQ‐15) were collected on all participants. Results: The prevalence of PTED was 21% (42/200) in inpatients in China; besides, the rate of increased syndromal embitterment is 28% (56/200), including 42 patients diagnosed with PTED. PTED was mainly associated with stressful events, such as illness, work and complicated interpersonal relationships. Rheumatology department and respiratory department have the highest and second highest prevalence of PTED among all departments. PTED‐21 scores were significantly correlated with PHQ‐9, GAD‐7 and PHQ‐15 (all P < 0.01). Conclusions: The present study shows that embitterment is a critical negative emotion in inpatients with somatic illnesses with comorbid depression, anxiety and somatic symptoms. PTED and feelings of embitterment should be given proper attention in diagnosing somatic patients, and it is crucial to enhance PTED screening and intervention in the future. Future intervention studies on post‐traumatic embitterment disorder could be done in general and especially in psychosomatic and somatic medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]