Common Usage & Traps
- 医生 — doctor
- 医院 — hospital
- 中医 — traditional Chinese medicine
- 牙医 — dentist
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医人医生医人 is not a standard word for 'doctor' in modern Mandarin. Use 医生.
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医病看病To say 'see a doctor' or 'treat an illness', use 看病, not 医病.
医
Origin & Mnemonic:
A container or quiver for storing arrows. Doctor, medicine, medical treatment; to heal or cure. A box (匚) holding an arrow (矢) — heal the arrow wound.
What is the difference between 医 and 衣?
医 means 'doctor' or 'medicine', while 衣 means 'clothes'.
医 (yī) is related to medicine and healing, as in 医生 (doctor) or 医院 (hospital). 衣 (yī) means clothing, as in 衣服 (clothes). They are pronounced the same but have different meanings and characters.
| Dimension | 医 | 衣 |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | doctor, medicine | clothes |
| Common word | 医生 (doctor) | 衣服 (clothes) |
| Usage | medical contexts | clothing contexts |
Can 医 be used alone as a word?
No, 医 is usually bound and appears in compounds like 医生 or 医院.
In modern Mandarin, 医 is not used as a standalone noun or verb in everyday speech. It typically appears in compound words such as 医生 (doctor), 医院 (hospital), or 中医 (traditional Chinese medicine). To say 'doctor', use 医生; to say 'hospital', use 医院.
| Dimension | Natural | Avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Referring to a doctor | 医生 | 医 |
| Referring to a hospital | 医院 | 医 |
| Referring to medicine | 药 | 医 |
Appears in Stories 6 stories
Enjoy this simple story about a patient and a mysterious apple. It shows how a small act of kindness can make someone feel at home, and you'll learn key words for feelings and daily life.
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马家友生病了，在 医院 的三号房间住。
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马家友觉得是 医院 给的。
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马家友病好了，要去谢谢 谢医生 。
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谢医生 对马家友说：“苹果不是 医院 给的。
Before you read: this is a short rhyming poem. You will meet a doctor who asks about seeing and hearing. Try to spot words you already know!
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生病 看医生 ，看见看不见？
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看病 医生 看， 医生 问问题。
This playful poem will make you smile as you explore how Chinese words like 'computer' and 'phone' can be funnier than they seem. Get ready to enjoy simple HSK 1 vocabulary and a twist of logic!
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学生上学校， 医生 不上学。
This playful poem turns numbers into a rhythm of daily life. As you read, practice counting, days of the week, and common time words in a fun, memorable way.
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零百千万亿，可以 医 椅衣。
Follow a traveler's unexpected hospital stay in China, where counting days and costs becomes practical learning. Practice numbers, dates, food prices, and simple descriptions of a doctor and room.
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休息两星期，七天住 医院 医生 人很好，房间大漂亮。
Ever noticed how similar Chinese words can be? This rhyme plays with place names and homophones, from schools to hotels, even throwing in Samsung's origin. A lighthearted way to boost your word power.
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学院有院子，影院没院子， 医院 是院子？
Questions & Discussion 0 questions
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