西医 (xī yī) — Western medicine (the field); doctor trained in Western medicine

Definition

Refers to 'Western medicine' (the modern, science-based medical system) as a field, and also to a doctor trained in it. Contrasts with 中医 (Traditional Chinese Medicine).

noun
Western medicine (the field)doctor trained in Western medicine
Measure word · 个

Examples

  • 西医。
    Tā shì yì míng yōu xiù de xī yī.
    He is an excellent Western medicine doctor.
  • ，西医。
    Zài zhōng guó, xī yī hé zhōng yī xiāng fǔ xiāng chéng.
    In China, Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine complement each other.
  • 西医，。
    Tā jué dìng xué xí xī yī, jiāng lái xiǎng dāng yì míng yī shēng.
    She decided to study Western medicine and wants to become a doctor in the future.

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.

西xīwest
医yīmedicine

西 points to Western, 医 to medicine or doctor; together mean Western medicine.

Characters in this word

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 西 →

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 醫; 医 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
酉酉yǒuliquor
Sound part声符shēngfú
殹
殹yì醫yī
Same sound today

The traditional form 醫 pairs 酉 (liquor) with 殹 as a sound part; the simplified 医 is a shorthand, so its parts are not the historical ones.

Open 医 →

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