Meaning
Whether you are visiting a clinic or describing a common cold, the kanji 病 is your go-to character for all things related to health issues. This JLPT N4 level character is taught in the third grade of Japanese elementary school. It features the radical 疒 (yamai-dare), which depicts a person leaning against a sickbed under a roof. You will recognize this "sickness" radical in other common kanji such as 痛 (pain) and 疲 (fatigue).
Structurally, this character combines the meaning of physical ailment with the phonetic component 丙 (hei). Some scholars suggest 丙 also hints at the heat or fever often accompanying a disease. Beyond literal infections, Japanese speakers use 病 metaphorically to describe social "ills," deep-seated bad habits, or even "lovesickness" (恋の病 — koi no yamai). Recognizing this kanji is a practical necessity for daily life, appearing on everything from hospital signs to insurance forms.
Readings
On'yomi (音読み) — Chinese-derived readings
The primary reading is ビョウ (BYŌ). You will encounter this in almost every formal compound word related to medicine or institutional care. It is a highly consistent reading, making it one of the more straightforward N4 kanji to pronounce in context. While a secondary reading ヘイ (HEI) exists, it is rarely used outside of specific historical texts or very technical medical terms.
Key compounds using the ビョウ reading include:
- 病院 (byōin) — hospital
- 病気 (byōki) — illness; sickness
- 急病 (kyūbyō) — sudden illness
Kun'yomi (訓読み) — Native Japanese readings
The native readings are やまい (yamai) and や.む (ya.mu). The noun yamai carries a more formal or literary weight than the conversational byōki. While you might use byōki for a simple cold, yamai often refers to serious conditions or psychological ailments.
The verb form yamu means to fall ill or suffer from a specific condition. It also appears in figurative expressions like 気に病む (ki ni yamu), which describes worrying so deeply that it starts to affect your well-being.
Common native Japanese uses include:
- 病 (yamai) — illness; disease; a bad habit
- 病む (yamu) — to be ill; to suffer from
- 思い病む (omoiyamu) — to worry oneself sick
Common Words & Compounds
From hospital wings to chronic conditions, the kanji 病 is embedded in Japanese life. Grouping these words by context can help you remember them more effectively.
Healthcare Facilities
- 病院 (byōin) — Hospital; the general term for medical centers.
- 病室 (byōshitsu) — Hospital room or patient ward.
- 看病 (kanbyō) — Nursing or looking after a sick person (common for family care).
Types of Conditions
- 病気 (byōki) — Sickness; the standard word used in daily life.
- 持病 (jibyō) — Chronic illness or pre-existing condition.
- 伝染病 (densenbyō) — Contagious or infectious disease.
- 精神病 (seishinbyō) — Mental illness.
Symptoms and Status
- 病状 (byōjō) — A patient's medical condition or status.
- 病死 (byōshi) — Death from natural causes/illness.
- 万病 (manbyō) — All kinds of diseases (often used in "a cure for all ills").
Example Sentences
昨日から病気で学校を休んでいます。
kinō kara byōki de gakkō wo yasunde imasu.
I have been away from school since yesterday because I'm sick.
母は近くの大きな病院に入院しています。
haha wa chikaku no ōkina byōin ni nyūin shite imasu.
My mother is currently staying at a large hospital nearby.
彼は長い間、胸の病を患っています。
kare wa nagai aida, mune no yamai wo wazuratte imasu.
He has been suffering from a chest ailment for a long time.
弟の病状がようやく良くなってきました。
otōto no byōjō ga yōyaku yoku natte kimashita.
My younger brother's medical condition is finally starting to improve.
病は気からというように、心の持ち様が大切です。
yamai wa ki kara to iu yō ni, kokoro no mochiyō ga taisetsu desu.
As the saying goes, "illness starts in the mind," so a positive attitude is key.
彼女は一晩中、祖父を看病しました。
kanojo wa hitobanjū, sofu wo kanbyō shimashita.
She spent the entire night nursing her grandfather.
試験の結果をあまり気に病まないでください。
shiken no kekka wo amari ki ni yamanaide kudasai.
Please don't dwell on the exam results too much.
現代の医学でも治せない難病があります。
gendai no igaku demo naosenai nanbyō ga arimasu.
There are incurable diseases that even modern medicine cannot yet treat.
Related Kanji
- 便 — Convenience, Facility, Communication (Kanji N4)
- 薬 — Medicine, Drug (Kanji N4)
- 飯 — Meal, Cooked Rice, Food (Kanji N4)
- 待 — Wait, Await, Expect (Kanji N4)
- 昼 — Daytime, Noon, Midday (Kanji N4)
- 服 — Clothing, Obedience, and Medicine (Kanji N4)
Memory Tip
Think of the radical 疒 as a hospital roof. The two small dots on the left look like a person leaning over or drops of sweat from a fever. Inside the hospital (the component 丙), imagine a patient sitting on a stool or chair. Together, they represent a sick person resting under a clinic roof. If you know the Chinese zodiac or "ten stems," 丙 is the third stem. You can think: "If your health drops to third place, you are definitely sick."