Meanings of 癆
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About 癆
Podcast: 癆
Podcast: 癆
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AI Study Notes for 癆
While 癆 is the formal term for tuberculosis, it may not be commonly used in everyday conversation; instead, people might refer to it as 肺结核 (fèi jié hé) in more casual contexts. Be cautious with tone, as the first tone can be easily confused with other similar-sounding words.
Although 癆 is not included in the HSK vocabulary list, learners should be familiar with medical terms as they relate to health discussions. Focus on understanding its context in historical or medical narratives.
Learners often confuse 癆 with similar-sounding words like 劳 (láo), which means labor or toil. Remember that 癆 specifically refers to tuberculosis, while 劳 relates to work.
Pronunciation of 癆
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Etymology of 癆
Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 劳 represents the sound. Simplified form of 癆.
sickness
Jason Etymology Detective
Case file: 癆
Phonosemantic compound. 疒 represents the meaning and 劳 represents the sound. Simplified form of 癆.
- 1The meaning half疒 carries the sense.
- 2The sound half勞 is there for the reading, not the meaning.
- 3The giveawaysickness
- 4On the record aspictophonetic.
Every clue here comes from the character's recorded structure — nothing is guessed.
Want the full history of 癆? Jason searches the paleographic record, weighs the competing accounts and judges the popular story.
Charged once for this character — everyone reads it afterwards.Character Formation Type
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Decomposition of 癆
Identify the Components
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How to say tuberculosis in Chinese
“tuberculosis” in Chinese is癆
The character 癆 (láo) refers specifically to tuberculosis, a serious infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs but can also impact other parts of the body. It is often discussed in medical contexts or historical discussions about public health in China.
When to use 癆
While 癆 is the formal term for tuberculosis, it may not be commonly used in everyday conversation; instead, people might refer to it as 肺结核 (fèi jié hé) in more casual contexts. Be cautious with tone, as the first tone can be easily confused with other similar-sounding words.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 癆 with similar-sounding words like 劳 (láo), which means labor or toil. Remember that 癆 specifically refers to tuberculosis, while 劳 relates to work.
Write 癆
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Practice writing 癆 stroke by stroke. Watch the animation to learn the stroke order, then try writing it yourself.
Word Family of 癆
Compound Meaning
What does 痨 mean?
Frequently Asked Questions about 癆
The modern term is 肺结核 (fèi jié hé), which literally means 'lung blockage'.
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