致病 (zhì bìng) — to cause illness; to lead to disease

Definition

A formal/technical verb meaning 'to cause disease' — used in medical and scientific contexts (air pollution, viruses, genetics), not everyday talk. Pairs with agents or factors rather than people.

verb
to cause illnessto lead to disease
Easily confused

Examples

  • 致病。
    Cháng qī áo yè hěn róng yì zhì bìng.
    Staying up late for a long time can easily cause illness.
  • 。
    Tā yīn wèi bú zhù yì wèi shēng zhì le bìng.
    He got sick because he didn't pay attention to hygiene.
  • 致病，。
    Kōng qì wū rǎn huì zhì bìng, yí dìng yào dài kǒu zhào.
    Air pollution can lead to illness, so be sure to wear a mask.

Origin

Compound word
构词法gòucífǎ
动宾dòngbīnVerb + object

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

致zhìcause
病bìngillness

致 means to bring about, and 病 is illness; together they mean to cause illness.

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pū
Sound part声符shēngfú
至
至zhì致zhì
Same sound today

致 pairs 至, used for its sound, with 攵, written in full as 攴.

Open 致 →

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 →

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