特效药 (tè xiào yào) — specific drug (highly effective against a particular disease or condition)

Definition

A 特效药 is a drug that targets one specific disease very effectively — 'specialty / wonder drug'. 特殊 here means 'specialized to one illness', not 'uncommon'.

noun
specific drug (highly effective against a particular disease or condition)
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 特效药。
    Yī shēng gěi wǒ kāi le yì zhǒng xīn tè xiào yào.
    The doctor prescribed a new specific drug for me.
  • 特效药。
    Zhè zhǒng tè xiào yào duì zhì liáo nà zhǒng bìng hěn yǒu xiào.
    This specific drug is very effective for treating that disease.
  • 特效药，。
    Zhè zhǒng tè xiào yào hěn guì, dàn xiào guǒ hěn hǎo.
    This specific drug is expensive, but the effect is very good.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
偏正piānzhèngModifier + head

The first part narrows down the second: it says what kind of thing the head is.

特效special effect
特tèspecial效xiàoeffect
偏正Modifier + head
药yàomedicine

特效 means special effect, and 药 is medicine; a medicine with a special effect.

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
牛牛niúox
Sound part声符shēngfú
寺
寺sì特tè
The sound has drifted apartThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

The shape combines 牛 (ox) with 寺, which gives the pronunciation; it originally meant a large bull.

Open 特 →

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pūto strike; action
Sound part声符shēngfú
交
交jiāo效xiào
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

效 pairs 攵 (written in full as 攴), meaning “to strike; action,” with 交, which gives the sound.

Open 效 →

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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