敷药 (fū yào) — to apply medicine (ointment, cream, or paste)

Definition

A verb-object phrase meaning to apply medicine topically — spreading ointment or paste on the skin, not taking it by mouth. Common in medical and first-aid contexts.

verb
to apply medicine (ointment, cream, or paste)

Examples

  • 敷药。
    Yī shēng ràng wǒ měi tiān fū yào liǎng cì.
    The doctor told me to apply medicine twice a day.
  • 。
    Tā xiǎo xīn dì zài shāng kǒu shàng fū le yào.
    He carefully applied medicine on the wound.
  • 。
    Zhè zhǒng yào gāo fū yí cì yào jiù néng zhǐ tòng.
    This ointment can relieve pain after just one application.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

An action followed by what it acts on, fused into one word.

敷fūspread
药yàomedicine

"敷" (spread) and "药" (medicine) describe applying medicine to a surface.

Characters in this word

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
攵Written in full as攴pūhand with whip; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
尃
尃fū敷fū
Same sound today

敷 pairs 尃, giving its sound and the sense of distribute, with 攵, a hand with whip showing action.

Open 敷 →

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 藥; 药 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
樂
樂lè藥yào
Same sound today

In the traditional form 藥, 艹 shows grass and 樂 gives the sound; this story is about 藥, not about the simplified 药.

Open 药 →

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