病案 (bìng àn) — medical record

Definition

病案 is the formal/clinical term for a patient's medical record — the official file kept by a hospital, broader than just the chart. Used mainly in written or institutional contexts.

noun
medical record
Measure word · 份

Examples

  • 病案。
    Yī shēng zhèng zài chá kàn zhè wèi bìng rén de bìng àn.
    The doctor is reviewing this patient's medical record.
  • 病案。
    Yī yuàn de bìng àn kù bǎo cún le suǒ yǒu huàn zhě de zī liào.
    The hospital's medical record archive keeps all patients' data.
  • 病案。
    Měi gè bìng rén zài yī yuàn dōu yǒu yí gè zì jǐ de bìng àn.
    Every patient has their own medical record at the hospital.

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
案ànfile/case

病 means illness and 案 means file or case, together naming a medical record.

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
木木mù
Sound part声符shēngfú
安
安ān案àn
Same sound today

案 pairs 木, a wood/tree shape, with 安, which is used for its sound.

Open 案 →

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