Translation and Meaning of: 病 - yamai

Etymology and Composition of the Kanji

The Japanese word 「病」 (yamai) refers to "illness" or "disease". The kanji 「病」 is composed of two main radicals: 「疒」 (nekozukuri), which represents illness or clinical condition, and 「丙」 (hei), which does not have a significant independent meaning but contributes to the form of the kanji itself. The combination of these elements creates a character that symbolizes health problems or debilitating conditions.

Definition and Use of the Word

In the Japanese language, 「病」 (yamai) is often used to describe altered health states, from common colds to more serious conditions. This word encompasses both physical and mental illnesses, reflecting its breadth in different medical and social contexts. Additionally, 「病気」 (byouki) is a variation of the word that is more commonly used in daily life to refer to illnesses in general.

Cultural Origin and Meaning

Historically, the notion of 「病」 (yamai) has deep roots in Eastern culture and medicine, where diseases were seen not only as physical conditions but also as spiritual ones. In traditional medicine, there was a significant focus on treating the balance of body and spirit, not just the physiological symptoms. This holistic understanding endures in many current Japanese health practices, where alternative treatments and preventive practices are valued alongside modern medicine.

Modern Context and Applications

In modern times, the word 「病」 (yamai) continues to play a crucial role in healthcare in Japan. Its use is not limited to the medical field; it also appears in literature and the arts, where illnesses can be used metaphorically to discuss social and psychological phenomena. This broad scope reflects the deep interconnection of the physical, mental, and social dimensions of health in contemporary Japanese culture.

Vocabulary

Expand your vocabulary with related words:

Synonyms and similar words

• 疾患 (Shikkan) - Disease, generally referring to a set of medical conditions.
• 疾病 (Shippai) - Illness, with a more severe connotation than simply "disease".
• 病気 (Byouki) - Disease, a generic term for a pathological condition.
• 病態 (Byoutai) - Disease status, referring to the clinical condition of the disease.
• 病状 (Byoujou) - Symptoms of the disease, used to describe the clinical presentation.
• 病症 (Byoushou) - Disease condition, focusing on associated symptoms and signs.

病

Romaji: yamai
Kana: やまい
Type: noun
L: jlpt-n1

Translation / Meaning: disease

Meaning in English: illness;disease

Definition: State in which an abnormality in the body's health occurred.

Example Sentences - (病) yamai

See below some example sentences:

結核は治療が必要な病気です。

Kekkaku wa chiryou ga hitsuyou na byouki desu

Tuberculosis is a disease that requires treatment.

Tuberculosis is a disease that requires treatment.

• 結核 (けっかく) - tuberculosis
• は - Topic particle
• 治療 (ちりょう) - Treatment
• が - subject particle
• 必要 (ひつよう) - necessary
• な - adjective particle
• 病気 (びょうき) - disease
• です - verb to be in the polite form

細菌は病気を引き起こす可能性があります。

Saikin wa byouki wo hikiokosu kanousei ga arimasu

Bacteria can cause disease.

Bacteria can cause disease.

• 細菌 (saikin) - bacteria
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 病気 (byouki) - disease
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 引き起こす (hikiokosu) - cause, provoke
• 可能性 (kanousei) - possibility
• が (ga) - subject particle
• あります (arimasu) - exist, have

看病することは大切です。

Kanbyou suru koto wa taisetsu desu

Taking care of health is important.

It's important to be careful.

• 看病することは
• 大切です。

Explanation -

- Start of list
• - Item from the list 看病することは - Japanese phrase that means "Taking care of your health is important"
• - Segundo item da lista 大切です。- Phrase in Japanese that means "It's important"

- End of list

癌は恐ろしい病気です。

Gan wa osoroshii byouki desu

Cancer is a terrible disease.

Cancer is a terrible disease.

• 癌 (gan) - cancer
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 恐ろしい (osoroshii) - terrible, frightening
• 病気 (byouki) - disease
• です (desu) - verb to be in the polite form

伝染病は怖いです。

Densenbyou wa kowai desu

Contagious diseases are scary.

I am afraid of infectious diseases.

• 伝染病 - contagious disease
• は - Topic particle
• 怖い - spooky
• です - Verb to be/estar in the present

この病気の診断は難しいです。

Kono byōki no shindan wa muzukashii desu

Diagnosing this disease is difficult.

The diagnosis of this disease is difficult.

• この - this
• 病気 - disease
• の - of
• 診断 - diagnosis
• は - is
• 難しい - difficult
• です - is

この病気は長引く可能性がある。

Kono byouki wa nagabiku kanousei ga aru

This disease can drag on for a long time.

This disease can be prolonged.

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this" or "this here"
• 病気 - noun meaning "disease"
• は - topic particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• 長引く - verb meaning "to linger" or "to drag on"
• 可能性 - noun meaning "possibility"
• が - subject particle that indicates the subject of the sentence
• ある - verb meaning "to exist" or "to have"

この病気の症状は何ですか？

Kono byouki no shoujou wa nan desu ka?

What are the symptoms of this disease?

• この - demonstrative pronoun meaning "this" or "this one"
• 病気 - noun meaning "disease"
• の - particle that indicates possession or belonging
• 症状 - noun meaning "symptom"
• は - Particle indicating the topic of the sentence
• 何 - interrogative pronoun that means "what"
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form
• か - Particle that indicates a question

この病気の経過はどうですか？

Kono byouki no keika wa dou desu ka?

How is this disease?

• この - demonstrative pronoun that means "this"
• 病気 - noun meaning "disease"
• の - Particle indicating possession or relationship
• 経過 - noun meaning "progress" or "evolution"
• は - particle that indicates the topic of the sentence
• どう - adverb meaning "like"
• です - Verb "to be" in polite form
• か - Particle that indicates a question
• ？ - punctuation mark that indicates a question

彼は病気を治すことができた。

Kare wa byouki wo naosu koto ga dekita

He managed to cure the disease.

He was able to cure the disease.

• 彼 (kare) - he
• は (wa) - Topic particle
• 病気 (byouki) - disease
• を (wo) - direct object particle
• 治す (naosu) - Heal
• こと (koto) - verb noun
• が (ga) - subject particle
• できた (dekita) - Be able to