看病（かんびょう、kanbyou）
- nursing

The Japanese word 看病 means to nurse a sick person, to care for the sick, or to tend to someone who is ill. It involves providing physical and emotional support, monitoring their condition, and assisting with their needs until they recover. The act of 看病 can encompass everything from giving medication and preparing meals to providing companionship and comfort.

⚫︎ 彼女は毎日、病気の母親の看病をしている。 Translation: She nurses her sick mother every day. ⚫︎ 彼は奥さんの入院中、献身的に看病をした。 Translation: He devotedly cared for his wife during her hospitalization. ⚫︎ 医者は患者の看病について家族にアドバイスをした。 Translation: The doctor gave advice to the family regarding the care of the patient.

You use 看病 when talking about the act of caring for someone who is sick or injured. It's often used in contexts involving family members, friends, or medical professionals. The subject of 看病 can be a person, a group of people, or even a system of care. Common phrases include: ⚫︎ 看病をする (to nurse, to care for) ⚫︎ 看病が必要な人 (a person who needs care) ⚫︎ 看病の疲れ (fatigue from nursing)

看病 is written in kanji and hiragana. ⚫︎ Kanji: 看病 ⚫︎ Hiragana: かんびょう There are no variations in the okurigana; the word is always written as 看病.

⚫︎ 介護 (かいご): caregiving (generally for elderly or those with disabilities, but can include illness) ⚫︎ 世話をする (せわをする): to take care of, to look after ⚫︎ 手当てをする (てあてをする): to treat, to give medical attention (implies more professional care)

There isn't a single direct antonym for 看病, as it is an action. However, actions that would be the opposite include: ⚫︎ 放置する (ほうちする): to neglect, to leave unattended ⚫︎ 見捨てる (みすてる): to abandon

熱が出て、寝込んだおばあちゃんを、娘が看病しました。 ・Translation: My daughter nursed my grandmother, who had a fever and was bedridden. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates the action of caring for someone who is sick, showing how the daughter took care of her grandmother.

彼は父親の入院中、仕事を休み、献身的に看病に励んだ。 ・Translation: He took time off work and devoted himself to caring for his father during his hospitalization. ・Explanation: This sentence highlights the dedication and effort put into 看病, showcasing the commitment to the sick person.

The word 看病 is composed of two kanji: ⚫︎ 看 (かん): meaning "to watch," "to look after," or "to care for" ⚫︎ 病 (びょう): meaning "sickness" or "illness" Combined, the characters express the idea of "watching over" or "caring for" a sick person, which is the core meaning of 看病.