成方 (chéng fāng) — set prescription (in traditional Chinese medicine)

Definition

In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), 成方 is a fixed, pre-existing prescription formula (as recorded in classical texts), used as a base that a doctor may later adjust for the patient.

noun
set prescription (in traditional Chinese medicine)
Measure word · 个
Easily confused

Examples

  • 成方。
    Zhè wèi zhōng yī cháng yòng gǔ rén de chéng fāng lái zhì liáo gǎn mào.
    This TCM doctor often uses ancient set prescriptions to treat colds.
  • 成方。
    Xué xí zhōng yī xū yào jì zhù hěn duō chéng fāng.
    Studying TCM requires memorizing many set prescriptions.
  • 成方。
    Yī shēng gēn jù bìng rén de qíng kuàng tiáo zhěng le chéng fāng.
    The doctor adjusted the set prescription according to the patient's condition.

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.

成chéngestablished
方fāngprescription

成 means established and 方 means a prescription.

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
戊戊wù
Sound part声符shēngfú
丁
丁dīng成chéng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

成 puts 戊, a weapon, beside 丁, which gives the sound. The weapon part relates to protection, as in the old sense of city walls.

Open 成 →

No reliable origin is recorded for this character.

Open 方 →

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