TongTong
Sign in

病态 (bìng tài) — pathological state; abnormal state

Definition

Literary/formal term for an abnormal, pathological condition — used for medical, psychological, or social phenomena, not everyday illness. Stronger and more evaluative than 普通 everyday words like 病.

noun
pathological stateabnormal state

Examples

  • 病态，。
    Zhè zhǒng bìng tài hěn wēi xiǎn, xū yào mǎ shàng zhì liáo.
    This pathological state is very dangerous and needs immediate treatment.
  • 病态。
    Tā de xīn lǐ bìng tài yǐ jīng yǐng xiǎng dào le rì cháng shēng huó.
    His psychological abnormality has already affected his daily life.
  • 病态。
    Zhè zhǒng shè huì bìng tài bì xū tōng guò gǎi gé lái xiāo chú.
    This social pathology must be eliminated through reform.

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.

病bìngillness
态tàistate; appearance

病 gives illness, and 态 gives state or appearance, so the sense is an abnormal state.

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
疒疒nèsickness
Sound part声符shēngfú
丙
丙bǐng病bìng
Same sound today

病 pairs 疒, a sickness mark, with 丙, which gives the sound; 丙 also means fire, giving a picture of lying feverishly in bed.

Open 病 →

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
太
太tài态tài
Same sound today

态 is made of 太, which gives the sound, and 心 (heart).

Open 态 →
Appears in
Illness & Symptoms

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.