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5  ·  40 words

Medicine and illness

Diseases and their treatment, vaccines and drugs, the hospital and the clinic.

Medical Chinese is easier to read than medical English, because its terms are made of everyday characters: 糖尿病(tángniàobìng)is literally sugar-urine-illness心脏病(xīnzàngbìng)heart illness抗生素(kàngshēngsù)a substance that fights living things 病(bìng) and 症(zhèng) at the end of a word usually name an illness or a condition. Many of the formal words have a plainer twin in speech: 疾病(jíbìng) is 病(bìng), 治愈(zhìyù) is 治好(zhìhǎo).

The words

Verb (11)

诊断(zhěnduàn)to diagnose; diagnosisVerb5
医生(yīshēng)诊断(zhěnduàn)他(tā)得(dé)了(le)肺炎(fèiyán)。The doctor diagnosed him with pneumonia.
康复(kāngfù)to recover; recovery; rehabilitationVerb5
祝(zhù)你(nǐ)早日(zǎorì)康复(kāngfù)!Get well soon!

The usual wish to somebody who is ill.

感染(gǎnrǎn)to infect; infectionVerb5
伤口(shāngkǒu)要(yào)保持(bǎochí)干净(gānjìng),不然(bùrán)容易(róngyì)感染(gǎnrǎn)。Keep the wound clean, or it may easily get infected.
治愈(zhìyù)to cureVerb5
这(zhè)种(zhǒng)病(bìng)现在(xiànzài)已经(yǐjīng)可以(kěyǐ)治愈(zhìyù)了(le)。This disease can now be cured.
移植(yízhí)to transplantVerb5
他(tā)三(sān)年(nián)前(qián)做(zuò)了(le)肾(shèn)移植(yízhí)手术(shǒushù)。He had a kidney transplant three years ago.
接种(jiēzhòng)to vaccinate; to inoculateVerb5
出国(chūguó)前(qián)他(tā)接种(jiēzhòng)了(le)两(liǎng)种(zhǒng)疫苗(yìmiáo)。Before going abroad he had two vaccinations.

种(zhòng) is fourth tone, to plant, here; as kind it is 种(zhǒng).

护理(hùlǐ)to nurse; to look after; nursing careVerb5
他(tā)出院(chūyuàn)后(hòu),家人(jiārén)轮流(lúnliú)护理(hùlǐ)他(tā)。After he left hospital his family took turns looking after him.
遗传(yíchuán)to be passed on (genetically); heredityVerb5
这(zhè)种(zhǒng)病(bìng)会(huì)遗传(yíchuán)给(gěi)下(xià)一(yí)代(dài)。This illness can be passed on to the next generation.
隔离(gélí)to isolate; to quarantineVerb5
医生(yīshēng)让(ràng)他(tā)在(zài)家(jiā)隔离(gélí)一(yí)个(ge)星期(xīngqī)。The doctor told him to isolate at home for a week.
复发(fùfā)to recur; to relapseVerb5
医生(yīshēng)说(shuō)要(yào)按时(ànshí)吃(chī)药(yào),不然(bùrán)病(bìng)容易(róngyì)复发(fùfā)。The doctor said to take the medicine on time, or the illness may easily come back.
抢救(qiǎngjiù)to give emergency treatment; to save (a life)Verb5
经过(jīngguò)医生(yīshēng)一(yí)夜(yè)的(de)抢救(qiǎngjiù),他(tā)终于(zhōngyú)脱离(tuōlí)了(le)危险(wēixiǎn)。After the doctors had fought all night to save him, he was finally out of danger.

Noun (28)

疾病(jíbìng)disease; illnessNoun5
良好(liánghǎo)的(de)生活(shēnghuó)习惯(xíguàn)可以(kěyǐ)预防(yùfáng)很(hěn)多(duō)疾病(jíbìng)。Good habits can prevent many illnesses.

The formal word; in speech 病(bìng).

疫苗(yìmiáo)vaccineNoun5
孩子(háizi)明天(míngtiān)要(yào)去(qù)打(dǎ)疫苗(yìmiáo)。The child is going to be vaccinated tomorrow.

Having a vaccination is 打(dǎ)疫苗(yìmiáo) in speech.

癌症(áizhèng)cancerNoun5
早(zǎo)发现(fāxiàn)的(de)癌症(áizhèng)治愈(zhìyù)的(de)机会(jīhuì)更(gèng)大(dà)。Cancer that is found early has a better chance of being cured.
慢性病(mànxìngbìng)chronic illnessNoun5
她(tā)奶奶(nǎinai)有(yǒu)慢性病(mànxìngbìng),每(měi)天(tiān)都(dōu)得(děi)吃(chī)药(yào)。Her grandmother has a chronic illness and has to take medicine every day.
医疗(yīliáo)medical care; medicalNoun5
这个(zhège)小(xiǎo)镇(zhèn)的(de)医疗(yīliáo)条件(tiáojiàn)比(bǐ)以前(yǐqián)好(hǎo)多(duō)了(le)。Medical care in this small town is much better than it used to be.
药物(yàowù)medication; drugsNoun5
这(zhè)种(zhǒng)药物(yàowù)不(bù)能(néng)和(hé)酒(jiǔ)一起(yìqǐ)吃(chī)。This medication must not be taken with alcohol.
副作用(fùzuòyòng)side effectNoun5
这(zhè)种(zhǒng)药(yào)的(de)副作用(fùzuòyòng)是(shì)让(ràng)人(rén)想(xiǎng)睡觉(shuìjiào)。A side effect of this medicine is that it makes you sleepy.
传染病(chuánrǎnbìng)infectious diseaseNoun5
得(dé)了(le)传染病(chuánrǎnbìng)的(de)病人(bìngrén)要(yào)单独(dāndú)住(zhù)。Patients with an infectious disease have to be kept apart.
医学(yīxué)medicine (as a science)Noun4
她(tā)哥哥(gēge)在(zài)大学(dàxué)学(xué)医学(yīxué)。Her elder brother studies medicine at university.
疗效(liáoxiào)effect of a treatmentNoun5
这(zhè)种(zhǒng)新(xīn)药(yào)的(de)疗效(liáoxiào)很(hěn)好(hǎo)。This new medicine works very well.
剂量(jìliàng)doseNoun5
孩子(háizi)用(yòng)药(yào)的(de)剂量(jìliàng)要(yào)比(bǐ)大人(dàrén)小(xiǎo)。A child's dose must be smaller than an adult's.
麻醉(mázuì)anaesthesia; to anaesthetiseNoun5
手术(shǒushù)前(qián)医生(yīshēng)先(xiān)给(gěi)他(tā)做(zuò)了(le)麻醉(mázuì)。Before the operation the doctor first gave him an anaesthetic.
肿瘤(zhǒngliú)tumourNoun5
检查(jiǎnchá)结果(jiéguǒ)显示(xiǎnshì)这个(zhège)肿瘤(zhǒngliú)是(shì)良性(liángxìng)的(de)。The test results show that the tumour is benign.
糖尿病(tángniàobìng)diabetesNoun5
他(tā)有(yǒu)糖尿病(tángniàobìng),所以(suǒyǐ)很(hěn)少(shǎo)吃(chī)甜(tián)的(de)东西(dōngxi)。He has diabetes, so he rarely eats anything sweet.
心脏病(xīnzàngbìng)heart diseaseNoun5
她(tā)爷爷(yéye)去年(qùnián)心脏病(xīnzàngbìng)发作(fāzuò),住(zhù)了(le)一(yí)个(ge)月(yuè)的(de)院(yuàn)。Her grandfather had a heart attack last year and spent a month in hospital.
中药(zhōngyào)Chinese herbal medicineNoun5
中药(zhōngyào)一般(yìbān)要(yào)熬(áo)很(hěn)长(cháng)时间(shíjiān)。Chinese herbal medicine usually has to be simmered for a long time.
门诊(ménzhěn)outpatient department; outpatient serviceNoun5
门诊(ménzhěn)早上(zǎoshang)八(bā)点(diǎn)开始(kāishǐ)挂号(guàhào)。Registration for outpatients starts at eight in the morning.
病房(bìngfáng)ward; hospital roomNoun5
他(tā)住(zhù)在(zài)外科(wàikē)病房(bìngfáng)。He is on the surgical ward.
并发症(bìngfāzhèng)complication (medical)Noun5
手术(shǒushù)很(hěn)顺利(shùnlì),没有(méiyǒu)出现(chūxiàn)并发症(bìngfāzhèng)。The operation went smoothly, with no complications.
抗生素(kàngshēngsù)antibioticNoun5
感冒(gǎnmào)一般(yìbān)不(bù)需要(xūyào)吃(chī)抗生素(kàngshēngsù)。A cold does not usually need antibiotics.
疫情(yìqíng)epidemic; outbreak (situation)Noun5
疫情(yìqíng)期间(qījiān),很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)在(zài)家(jiā)上班(shàngbān)。During the epidemic many people worked from home.
化疗(huàliáo)chemotherapyNoun5
手术(shǒushù)以后(yǐhòu),她(tā)还(hái)要(yào)做(zuò)几(jǐ)次(cì)化疗(huàliáo)。After the operation she still has to have several rounds of chemotherapy.

Short for 化学(huàxué)治疗(zhìliáo).

病因(bìngyīn)cause of an illnessNoun5
医生(yīshēng)还(hái)没有(méiyǒu)找到(zhǎodào)他(tā)头疼(tóuténg)的(de)病因(bìngyīn)。The doctors have not yet found the cause of his headaches.
病例(bìnglì)case (of a disease)Noun5
这(zhè)种(zhǒng)病(bìng)很(hěn)少(shǎo)见(jiàn),医院(yīyuàn)每(měi)年(nián)只(zhǐ)有(yǒu)几(jǐ)个(ge)病例(bìnglì)。This disease is rare: the hospital sees only a handful of cases a year.

Not 病历(bìnglì), a patient's medical record, which sounds the same.

诊所(zhěnsuǒ)clinic; surgeryNoun5
我(wǒ)家(jiā)楼下(lóuxià)有(yǒu)一(yì)家(jiā)小(xiǎo)诊所(zhěnsuǒ)。There is a small clinic downstairs from our flat.
药品(yàopǐn)medicines; pharmaceuticalsNoun5
药品(yàopǐn)应该(yīnggāi)放(fàng)在(zài)阴凉(yīnliáng)干燥(gānzào)的(de)地方(dìfang)。Medicines should be kept in a cool, dry place.
流行病(liúxíngbìng)epidemic diseaseNoun5
她(tā)的(de)工作(gōngzuò)是(shì)研究(yánjiū)流行病(liúxíngbìng)怎么(zěnme)传播(chuánbō)。Her work is studying how epidemic diseases spread.
儿科(érkē)paediatrics; children's departmentNoun5
孩子(háizi)发烧(fāshāo)了(le),我们(wǒmen)去(qù)医院(yīyuàn)挂(guà)了(le)儿科(érkē)。The child had a fever, so we went to the hospital and registered with paediatrics.

Adjective (1)

临床(línchuáng)clinicalAdjective5
新(xīn)药(yào)上市(shàngshì)前(qián)必须(bìxū)经过(jīngguò)临床(línchuáng)试验(shìyàn)。A new drug must go through clinical trials before it goes on sale.

This list belongs to Body and health — seven lists and 281 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.