The Meaning of byou [病] In Japanese

病
びょう
Romaji: byou N5

What does 病 mean?

Translation and Meaning

illness, disease, sickness

Definition

What does 病 mean? The general term for illness or disease, referring to any health condition that impairs normal functioning.

Type

Noun (名詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • a broad concept of illness or disease as a health condition
  • the state of being unwell, used in both clinical and everyday language
  • metaphorically, the idea of a ‘sickness’ affecting systems, groups, or societies

Origin

Borrowed from Chinese writing; the character 病 appeared in classical Japanese texts and medical literature as part of the kanji script, becoming a foundational term for health concepts in Japan.

Usage

Used as a noun to denote illness or disease. In formal and medical contexts it appears in compounds such as 病気, 病院, 病状, 病理; in everyday speech 病 alone is less common, with 病気 being the typical form used to express illness.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: the left radical 疒 signals sickness, and the right side 丙 adds a distinctive silhouette to cue the sound byou; picture a sick person resting beside a hospital bed to remember 病 as illness.

Variations

  • illness, disease — byou
  • medical condition, ailment — shikkan
  • illness in everyday language — byouki

Example Phrases

  • 今日は 病気 で 仕事を 休んだ
    Kyou wa byouki de shigoto o yasunda
    I took time off work today due to illness.
    Lista:
    • 今日は (Kyou wa) – Today
    • 病気 (byouki) – illness
    • で (de) – due to
    • 仕事を (shigoto o) – work
    • 休んだ (yasunda) – took time off
    Aqui 「病」 faz parte de 病気, significando doença; neste uso, で indica causa.
  • 病院の 廊下で、担架を 使って 患者を 運ぶ。
    Byōin no rōka de, tanka o tsukatte kanja o hakobu.
    In the hospital corridor, a patient is carried on a stretcher.
    Lista:
    • 病院の (byōin no) – hospital’s
    • 廊下で (rōka de) – in the hallway
    • 担架を (tanka o) – a stretcher
    • 使って (tsukatte) – using
    • 患者を (kanja o) – patient
    • 運ぶ (hakobu) – carry
    「担架」 is a tool noun; the sentence uses を使って to express ‘using a stretcher to move a patient’.
  • 先日、私の叔父は大病で入院して長く過ごした。
    Senjitsu, watashi no oji wa daibyō de nyūin shite nagaku sugoshita.
    The other day, my uncle was hospitalized for a serious illness and spent a long time.
    Lista:
    • 先日 (senjitsu) – the other day
    • 私の (watashi no) – my
    • 叔父は (oji wa) – uncle
    • 大病で (daibyō de) – due to a serious illness
    • 入院して (nyūin shite) – being hospitalized
    • 長く (nagaku) – long
    • 過ごした (sugoshita) – spent
    Here 「入院」 is a noun meaning hospitalization; it is used with して to form 入院して (being hospitalized) and with で to indicate the reason (大病で).
  • 私は 今日 病院へ 行って、 薬を 受け取りました。
    Watashi wa kyou byouin e itte, kusuri o uketorimashita.
    I went to the hospital today and picked up the medicine.
    Lista:
    • 私は (watashi wa) – I
    • 今日 (kyou) – today
    • 病院へ (byouin e) – to the hospital
    • 行って (itte) – go (te-form)
    • 薬を (kusuri o) – medicine
    • 受け取りました (uketorimashita) – received / picked up
    Uso da forma て para encadear ações: 病院へ行って conecta ir ao local com a ação seguinte; 薬を受け取りました usa o objeto com o verbo receber; 「病院」 indica o local da ação e は marca o tópico em 私は.
  • 病院で看護師が手を丁寧に消毒した。
    Byouin de kangoshi ga te o teinei ni shoudoku shita.
    The nurse carefully disinfected her hands at the hospital.
    Lista:
    • 病院で (Byouin de) – at the hospital
    • 看護師が (kangoshi ga) – the nurse (subject)
    • 手を (te o) – hands (object)
    • 丁寧に (teinei ni) – carefully
    • 消毒した (shoudoku shita) – disinfected
    In this sentence, 「消毒」 is the noun ‘disinfection’ used with the verb する (消毒した); the action occurs at 病院で, indicated by the location particle で; 丁寧に describes the manner.
病