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急症 (jí zhèng) — acute disease; sudden attack of illness; medical emergency

Definition

急症 (jí zhèng) refers to a sudden, severe onset of illness that needs immediate medical attention — the 'acute attack' sense, not a chronic condition. In a hospital context it contrasts with 慢病 (màn bìng, chronic disease).

noun
acute diseasesudden attack of illnessmedical emergency

Examples

  • 急症。
    Tā yīn jí zhèng bèi sòng jìn le yī yuàn.
    He was sent to the hospital due to an acute disease.
  • 急症，。
    Zuó tiān tā tū fā jí zhèng, hái hǎo jí shí qiǎng jiù.
    Yesterday he suddenly had a sudden attack of illness, luckily it was treated in time.
  • 急症。
    jí zhèng Huàn zhě xū yào mǎ shàng zuò shǒu shù.
    Acute disease patients need surgery immediately.

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.

急jíurgent
症zhèngillness

急 gives urgent or acute, and 症 gives illness, so 急症 names a sudden serious medical emergency.

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
心心xīnheart
Sound part声符shēngfú
及
及jí急jí
Same sound today

急 pairs 心 (heart) with 及, which gives the sound.

Open 急 →

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nèdisease
Sound part声符shēngfú
正
正zhèng症zhèng
Same sound today

The left part 疒 shows it is about disease. The right part 正 is used for the sound.

Open 症 →
Appears in
Illness & Symptoms

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