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住院 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
住院zhùyuànto be in hospitalHSK 3, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #4574, Medium
住院zhùyuànto be hospitalizedHSK 3, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #4574, Medium
zhùyuàn(zhu4yuan4)zhu yuan T4
  1. 1to be in hospital
  2. 2to be hospitalized
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March 24, 2026

住院zhùyuàn(zhu4yuan4)

住院 (zhùyuàn) means to be hospitalized or to stay in a hospital for medical treatment. This term is commonly used when referring to patients who require observation or care that cannot be provided on an outpatient basis. It emphasizes the act of staying in the hospital rather than just visiting for a consultation.

Strokes16Frequency#4574DifficultyMedium
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, being hospitalized can carry significant social implications, as families often play a central role in patient care, reflecting the importance of family ties. Visiting hours may be more flexible, allowing family members to support the patient.

Memory Tip

Imagine a person (住) standing by a hospital (院) building, waiting to be admitted. The character 住 looks like a person standing still, while 院 can remind you of the courtyard (院子) of a hospital, suggesting a place where one stays for medical reasons.

Meanings of 住院

zhùyuàn(zhu4yuan4)
1to be in hospital
2to be hospitalized
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About 住院

住院Simplified
16Strokes
—Radical
动词dòngcíverb (v.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L3ElementaryTOCFLL2HSKKL1CEFRA1

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Podcast: 住院

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AI Study Notes for 住院

Quick Contrast

住院 (zhùyuàn) vs 住 (zhù) — use 住院 to specify being hospitalized for treatment, while 住 simply means to live or stay somewhere.

Usage Notes

Be cautious with tone when saying 住院, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with unrelated terms. This term is generally used in a medical context, so it would be inappropriate in informal conversations unrelated to health. Common collocations include '住院治疗' (hospital treatment) and '住院观察' (hospital observation).

HSK Study Tips

Though not specified in the HSK levels, understanding 住院 can enhance your medical vocabulary, which is essential for HSK 4 and beyond. Focus on related terms such as 医院 (hospital) and 病人 (patient) to create a broader context for your studies.

Common Mistakes

Learners often confuse 住院 with just visiting a hospital, which is not the same. For example, saying '我去住院' (wǒ qù zhùyuàn) implies you are going to be hospitalized, which is incorrect if you mean just visiting. The correct phrase for visiting would be '我去医院' (wǒ qù yīyuàn).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 住院

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Component Characters

住zhùto live
HSK 17 strokes亻
View full entry
院yuàncourtyard
HSK 29 strokes阝
View full entry

How to say to be in hospital in Chinese

“to be in hospital” in Chinese is住院zhùyuàn

住院 (zhùyuàn) means to be hospitalized or to stay in a hospital for medical treatment. This term is commonly used when referring to patients who require observation or care that cannot be provided on an outpatient basis. It emphasizes the act of staying in the hospital rather than just visiting for a consultation.

When to use 住院

Be cautious with tone when saying 住院, as mispronouncing it could lead to confusion with unrelated terms. This term is generally used in a medical context, so it would be inappropriate in informal conversations unrelated to health. Common collocations include '住院治疗' (hospital treatment) and '住院观察' (hospital observation).

住院 or something close to it

住院 (zhùyuàn) vs 住 (zhù) — use 住院 to specify being hospitalized for treatment, while 住 simply means to live or stay somewhere.

What learners get wrong

Learners often confuse 住院 with just visiting a hospital, which is not the same. For example, saying '我去住院' (wǒ qù zhùyuàn) implies you are going to be hospitalized, which is incorrect if you mean just visiting. The correct phrase for visiting would be '我去医院' (wǒ qù yīyuàn).

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住
院

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Frequently Asked Questions about 住院

No, 住院 can refer to any situation where a patient needs to stay in a hospital, regardless of the severity of the illness.

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