医 yī

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.

Common Usage & Traps

  • 医生 (yīshēng) — doctor
  • 医院 (yīyuàn) — hospital
  • 中医 (zhōngyī) — traditional Chinese medicine
  • 牙医 (yáyī) — dentist
  • 医人 医生

    医人 is not a standard word for 'doctor' in modern Mandarin. Use 医生.

  • 医病 看病

    To say 'see a doctor' or 'treat an illness', use 看病, not 医病.

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
Meaningdoctor, medicineclothes
Common word医生 (doctor)衣服 (clothes)
Usagemedical contextsclothing 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.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Referring to a doctor医生医
Referring to a hospital医院医
Referring to medicine药医

Appears in Stories 8 stories

《三号病房的苹果》 The Apple in Ward Three
HSK 1 ~3 min read 191 chars
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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.

  • 马家友生病了,在 医院 的三号房间住。

  • 马家友觉得是 医院 给的。

  • 马家友病好了,要去谢谢 谢医生 。

  • 谢医生 对马家友说:“苹果不是 医院 给的。

《医生问问题》 Doctor Asks Questions
HSK 1 ~1 min read 60 chars
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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!

  • 生病 看医生 ,看见看不见?

  • 看病 医生 看, 医生 问问题。

《米老师的一天》 A Doctor's Daily Routine
HSK 1 ~3 min read 216 chars
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Meet Dr. Mi, a doctor and teacher at Sichuan University. This simple HSK 1 story shows his daily routine from morning to night, helping you learn time expressions and everyday activities.

  • 米爸爸在四川大学 医学院 工作。

  • 他是一个 医生 ,也是一个老师。

《电脑没脑子》 Computers Have No Brains
HSK 1 ~1 min read 76 chars
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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!

  • 学生上学校, 医生 不上学。

《一二三(2)》 Counting Days and Rhymes
HSK 1 ~2 min read 84 chars
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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.

  • 零百千万亿,可以 医 椅衣。

《一二三 住医院》 Hospital Days, Pricey Plates
HSK 1 ~2 min read 107 chars
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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.

  • 休息两星期,七天住 医院 医生 人很好,房间大漂亮。

《大学者和小人物》 The Scholar and the Cookie Seller
HSK 5 ~8 min read 882 chars
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Discover how a simple letter from a cookie seller led to an unexpected friendship with a famous scholar. This heartwarming story explores kindness and connection across social divides.

  • 有一次他得了心脏病,住进 医院 。

《三星在哪里?》 Fun Rap to learn Chinese: Where Is \"Samsung\"?
HSK 1 ~1 min read 72 chars
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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.

  • 学院有院子,影院没院子, 医院 是院子?

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