Word Detail

The Japanese word 病院 (びょういん) means "hospital" or "clinic." It refers to a place where people go to receive medical treatment for illnesses or injuries. It can also refer to the institution itself, including the staff, facilities, and procedures involved in providing healthcare.

⚫︎父は病院で働いています。 Translation: My father works at a hospital. ⚫︎風邪をひいたので、病院に行きました。 Translation: I went to the hospital because I caught a cold. ⚫︎この病院は最新の設備が整っています。 Translation: This hospital has the latest equipment.

⚫︎ You use 病院 when referring to a place where you or someone else is receiving medical care. ⚫︎ It's common to use it in sentences discussing visits to the doctor, medical examinations, or hospital stays. ⚫︎ You can use it in various contexts, such as describing someone's profession, discussing health issues, or making appointments.

⚫︎ The word 病院 is primarily written using the kanji 病院. ⚫︎ The reading in hiragana is びょういん. ⚫︎ There are no other common ways to write this word. The okurigana is fixed.

⚫︎ While not direct synonyms, the following words are related: ⚫︎ 医院 (いいん) - clinic (smaller than a hospital) ⚫︎ 診療所 (しんりょうじょ) - clinic (same as above) ⚫︎ クリニック (kurinikku) - clinic (loanword)

There aren't direct antonyms for 病院, but places related to staying healthy and away from healthcare facilities could be considered indirect opposites: ⚫︎ 家 (いえ) - home (where you might recover from illness) ⚫︎ 健康センター (けんこうせんたー) - health center (for wellness, not necessarily treatment)

熱があるので、明日病院の予約を取ろうと思います。 ・Translation: I have a fever, so I think I'll make a hospital appointment for tomorrow. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the action of making an appointment at the 病院 because the speaker has a fever, indicating an illness.

事故で怪我をしたので、救急病院に運ばれました。 ・Translation: Because I was injured in an accident, I was taken to the emergency hospital. ・Explanation: This sentence explains that the speaker was transported to the emergency 病院 due to injuries from an accident.

⚫︎ 病 (びょう) means "illness" or "disease." ⚫︎ 院 (いん) means "institution" or "establishment." ⚫︎ Therefore, the word 病院 literally means "illness institution" or "place for illnesses," accurately reflecting its purpose.