Nihongo

Kanji Detail of 医

Level:N4 Low
Strokes:7
Stroke Order
Related Words
AI Explanation
Basic Meaning

The kanji primarily means "medical," "medicine," or "doctor." It encompasses the concepts of healing, treatment, and the practice of healthcare. It represents the idea of addressing and curing illnesses or injuries.

Readings

・On-yomi (音読み): イ (i) ・Kun-yomi (訓読み): い(yas) - This reading is less common as a standalone word.

Usage Examples

⚫︎医者 (いしゃ) Translation: Doctor, physician. ⚫︎医学 (いがく) Translation: Medical science, medicine. ⚫︎医院 (いいん) Translation: Clinic, medical office.

Origin and Formation

The kanji is a pictophonetic character. The left side is a simplified form of (box), meaning "container" or "something that encloses." The right side is a phonetic component 殳 (しゅ, shu), originally representing a weapon or a tool used for piercing. The original meaning could be related to using a tool or container for healing. Over time, the character evolved to represent medical treatment and healing.

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