主治医（しゅじい、shujii）
- attending doctor

The Japanese word 主治医 (しゅじい, shujii) refers to one's "attending physician", "primary care physician", or "doctor in charge." It signifies the doctor who is primarily responsible for a patient's medical care and treatment. This doctor typically has the most comprehensive understanding of the patient's medical history, current health status, and ongoing treatment plan. The term emphasizes the central role of this doctor in coordinating a patient's healthcare. This is 主治医 that the patient usually see for treatment.

⚫︎私の 主治医はとても親切です。 Translation: My attending physician is very kind. ⚫︎主治医と相談して、手術の日程を決めました。 Translation: I consulted with my attending physician and decided on the surgery date. ⚫︎熱が下がらないので、すぐに 主治医に診てもらってください。 Translation: Because your fever isn't going down, please see your attending physician immediately.

You use 主治医 when referring to the doctor who is primarily responsible for a patient's care. It is a common and important term in Japanese medical contexts. You would use it when talking about appointments, treatments, diagnoses, and medical advice. It is used in both formal and informal conversations, particularly when discussing healthcare or medical issues. If the doctor's name is known, you could add it after the term; for example, "主治医の田中先生 (Shujii no Tanaka sensei)" which means "Dr. Tanaka, my attending physician".

主治医 is typically written in kanji as 主治医 (しゅじい). The hiragana reading is しゅじい. There are no other common ways to write this word, nor any variations in okurigana. It is often written without the honorific "先生" (sensei) unless directly addressing the 主治医.

There aren't direct perfect synonyms, but related terms include: ⚫︎ 担当医 (たんとうい, tantoui) - "Doctor in charge" or "doctor in charge of a case" (more general and can apply to various types of doctors.) ⚫︎ かかりつけ医 (かかりつけい, kakaritsukei) - "Family doctor" or "regular doctor" (focuses on routine care.)

There aren't direct antonyms. The concept of not having a main doctor or specialist can be considered an opposite. However, there is no single word for it.

主治医は私の病状について詳しく説明してくれました。 ・Translation: My attending physician explained my medical condition in detail. ・Explanation: This sentence explains that the patient's primary doctor provided thorough information about their illness.

新しい薬を飲む前に、必ず 主治医に相談してください。 ・Translation: Before taking the new medicine, be sure to consult with your attending physician. ・Explanation: This sentence emphasizes the importance of getting advice from the doctor in charge of the patient's care before changing medication.

The word 主治医 is composed of two kanji: ⚫︎ 主 (しゅ, shu) - meaning "main," "principal," "chief," or "primary". ⚫︎ 治医 (じい, jii) - meaning "treating doctor" or "physician in charge of treatment". Thus, 主治医 literally translates to "main treating doctor" or "primary doctor in charge," perfectly reflecting its meaning.