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药材 — pronunciations, definitions, and tags
HanziPinyinEnglishTags
药材yàocáidrug ingredientsHSK 7, unknown, 16 strokes, rank #46126, Very Hard
yàocái(yao4cai2)yao cai T4
  1. 1drug ingredients
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March 24, 2026

药材(藥材)yàocái(yao4cai2)

药材 (yàocái) refers to medicinal ingredients or herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. It encompasses various plant parts, such as roots, leaves, and flowers, that are utilized for their healing properties, often in the preparation of herbal remedies.

Strokes16Frequency#46126DifficultyVery Hard
Cultural Note

In Chinese culture, the use of 药材 dates back thousands of years and is integral to traditional healing practices. TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) relies heavily on these ingredients, often viewed as holistic solutions to health issues.

Memory Tip

Imagine a 'yard' filled with 'sighs' (sounds like '药材') from people feeling unwell. In this yard, each plant is a medicinal ingredient, symbolizing healing. Visualize the plants as 'cai' (菜, vegetables) that help restore health.

Meanings of 药材

yàocái(yao4cai2)
1drug ingredients
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About 药材

药材Simplified
藥材Traditional
16Strokes
—Radical
名词míngcínoun (n.)Part of Speech
#—Frequency Rank
HSK 3.0L7AdvancedCEFRC2

Podcast: 药材

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Podcast: 药材

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AI Study Notes for 药材

Quick Contrast

中药材 (zhōngyàocái) vs 药材 (yàocái): 中药材 specifically refers to medicinal materials used in traditional Chinese medicine, while 药材 can refer to any medicinal ingredient, including those used in other contexts.

Usage Notes

Be careful not to confuse 药材 with 药 (medicine), which refers to the finished product rather than the raw ingredients. This term is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about herbal medicine, so ensure that your tone matches the setting.

HSK Study Tips

While 药材 is not a specific HSK vocabulary word, it relates closely to terms in HSK levels 3-5 concerning health, cooking, and natural remedies. Focus on understanding its usage in traditional contexts alongside other health-related vocabulary.

Common Mistakes

Learners often mistakenly use 药材 to refer to all types of medicine, including pills and syrups. The correct usage is specifically for raw medicinal ingredients or herbs. For example, saying '我需要买药材' (I need to buy medicine) should be corrected to '我需要买药' (I need to buy medicine).

AI-enhanced 2026-03-24

Pronunciation of 药材

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Component Characters

药yàoleaf of the iris
HSK 29 strokes艹
View full entry
材cáimaterial
7 strokes木
View full entry

How to say drug ingredients in Chinese

“drug ingredients” in Chinese is药材yàocái

药材 (yàocái) refers to medicinal ingredients or herbs used in traditional Chinese medicine. It encompasses various plant parts, such as roots, leaves, and flowers, that are utilized for their healing properties, often in the preparation of herbal remedies.

When to use 药材

Be careful not to confuse 药材 with 药 (medicine), which refers to the finished product rather than the raw ingredients. This term is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in discussions about herbal medicine, so ensure that your tone matches the setting.

药材 or something close to it

中药材 (zhōngyàocái) vs 药材 (yàocái): 中药材 specifically refers to medicinal materials used in traditional Chinese medicine, while 药材 can refer to any medicinal ingredient, including those used in other contexts.

What learners get wrong

Learners often mistakenly use 药材 to refer to all types of medicine, including pills and syrups. The correct usage is specifically for raw medicinal ingredients or herbs. For example, saying '我需要买药材' (I need to buy medicine) should be corrected to '我需要买药' (I need to buy medicine).

Write 药材

药
材

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Frequently Asked Questions about 药材

Common 药材 include ginseng (人参), licorice root (甘草), and goji berries (枸杞).

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