抗生物質（こうせいぶっしつ、kouseibuっshitsu）
- antibiotic

The Japanese word 抗生物質 (こうせいぶっしつ) refers to "antibiotics" or "antibiotic substances." 抗生物質 are medications used to fight bacterial infections in the body. They work by killing bacteria or preventing them from growing and multiplying. These medications are not effective against viruses.

⚫︎ 風邪で抗生物質を飲むことはありません。 Translation: You don't take antibiotics for a cold. ⚫︎ 医者は患者に抗生物質を処方しました。 Translation: The doctor prescribed antibiotics to the patient. ⚫︎ この抗生物質は特定の種類の細菌に効果があります。 Translation: This antibiotic is effective against a specific type of bacteria.

This word is used in medical contexts and everyday conversations when discussing illnesses, treatments, and medications. You would use 抗生物質 when referring to antibiotics as a class of drugs, or a specific antibiotic, and talking about their usage. It is typically used when discussing infections caused by bacteria, and when referring to the prescription or administration of such medications. You might hear it discussed at a doctor's appointment, or while reading about health information.

⚫︎ The word is typically written in kanji, 抗生物質. ⚫︎ The reading is こうせいぶっしつ in hiragana. ⚫︎ The word is not commonly written in katakana, but if used for emphasis, it would be コウセイブッシツ. ⚫︎ There are no variations in the okurigana.

There are no direct synonyms in Japanese that specifically mean "antibiotics." However, you might use more general terms related to medicine, like: ⚫︎ 薬 (くすり) - medicine ⚫︎ 医薬品 (いやくひん) - pharmaceutical products ⚫︎ 抗細菌薬 (こうさいきんやく) - antibacterial drug (more technical)

The word doesn't have a direct antonym. However, drugs that work against viruses, like 抗ウイルス薬 (こうウイルスやく - antiviral drugs), could be considered opposite in their function.

熱があるので、医者に抗生物質を貰いに行きました。》 ・Translation: I had a fever, so I went to the doctor to get antibiotics. ・Explanation: This sentence describes going to the doctor to get a prescription for antibiotics due to a fever, which is often a symptom of bacterial infection.

この抗生物質は、とても強力で、すぐに症状が改善されました。》 ・Translation: This antibiotic is very strong, and the symptoms improved quickly. ・Explanation: This sentence indicates that the antibiotic was effective and resulted in quick recovery from the illness.

The word 抗生物質 is a compound word: ⚫︎ 抗 (こう) - meaning "anti-" or "against" (derived from the concept of opposing or resisting something). ⚫︎ 生物 (せいぶつ) - meaning "living thing" or "organism". ⚫︎ 物質 (ぶっしつ) - meaning "substance" or "matter". Combined, 抗生物質 refers to substances that work against living organisms, specifically bacteria, reflecting their function to combat infections.