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March 24, 2026
医(醫)yī(yi1)
The character 医 (yī) refers to the field of medicine and the profession of a doctor. It can denote both the act of curing or treating someone and the medical profession itself. This character is commonly used in medical contexts, such as hospitals, clinics, and discussions about health and treatment.
Strokes7Radical匸Frequency#5099DifficultyEasy
Cultural Note
In Chinese culture, respect for doctors is deeply ingrained, and the practice of traditional medicine, alongside modern approaches, reflects a holistic view of health. The character 医 is often seen in the context of both Western and Traditional Chinese Medicine.
Memory Tip
Think of a doctor (医) as someone who 'yī' (sounds like 'ee') heals others. Visualize a doctor holding a stethoscope, representing the medical field. The character's radical, 匚, can be imagined as a box containing medicine, emphasizing its healing purpose.
Meanings of 医
yī(yi1)
1medical
2medicine
Exercise 1 of 2
By ear
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About 医
医Simplified
醫Traditional
7Strokes
匸Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#5099Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L2
Podcast: 医
Podcast: 医
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AI Study Notes for 医
Quick Contrast
医生 (yīshēng) refers specifically to a doctor or physician, while 医 (yī) can refer more broadly to the field of medicine.
Usage Notes
When using 医, it is essential to combine it with other characters to form compound words, such as 医生 (yīshēng - doctor) or 医院 (yīyuàn - hospital). Learners often confuse it with 义 (yì), which means righteousness. Remember that 医 is primarily used in medical contexts.
HSK Study Tips
Though not part of the HSK levels, 医 connects well with other health-related vocabulary like 病 (bìng - illness) and 药 (yào - medicine). Focus on practicing compound words and phrases to deepen understanding and usage.
Common Mistakes
Learners often confuse 医 (yī) with similar-sounding characters like 义 (yì), which can lead to miscommunication. For example, saying 医生 (yīshēng) as 义生 (yìshēng) changes the meaning entirely from 'doctor' to a nonsensical term.
AI-enhanced 2026-03-24
Pronunciation of 医
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Etymology of 医
Formation Typepictophonetic
六书 ClassificationPhono-semantic (形声å—)~80-90% of characters
Explanation
Simplified form of 醫. Phonosemantic compound. 酉 represents the meaning and 殹 represents the sound. The 酉 component is a pictograph of a container for wine, which is sometimes used for medicinal purposes. The traditional component 酉 was removed
医 = 矢 + 匸. What kind of character does that make it?
Decomposition of 医
IDS Structure⿷匸矢
医Full Character
=
匸xi4
enclosing
矢shi3
inner
Exercise 1 of 2
Parts
Which of these is part of 医?
How to say medical in Chinese
“medical” in Chinese is医yī
The character 医 (yī) refers to the field of medicine and the profession of a doctor. It can denote both the act of curing or treating someone and the medical profession itself. This character is commonly used in medical contexts, such as hospitals, clinics, and discussions about health and treatment.
When to use 医
When using 医, it is essential to combine it with other characters to form compound words, such as 医生 (yīshēng - doctor) or 医院 (yīyuàn - hospital). Learners often confuse it with 义 (yì), which means righteousness. Remember that 医 is primarily used in medical contexts.
医 or something close to it
医生 (yīshēng) refers specifically to a doctor or physician, while 医 (yī) can refer more broadly to the field of medicine.
What learners get wrong
Learners often confuse 医 (yī) with similar-sounding characters like 义 (yì), which can lead to miscommunication. For example, saying 医生 (yīshēng) as 义生 (yìshēng) changes the meaning entirely from 'doctor' to a nonsensical term.
Write 医
医
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Grammar Patterns of 医
医 functions as a noun — it names a person, place, thing, or concept. Place it as a subject before the verb (主+谓) or as an object after the verb (谓+宾). Most Chinese nouns require a measure word between the number and the noun (e.g. 一个/三本). It carries 6 related meanings, each with its own usage notes below. The example sentences below show it in action, with practice buttons (Listen, Practice Writing, Practice Speaking) on every line.
