旧病 (jiù bìng) — old ailment, chronic complaint | tongtong Chinese Dictionary

Definition

Literary term for an old or chronic illness, typically one that recurs. Pairs in fixed phrases like 旧病复发 ('old illness flared up again') and 旧病难医.

noun

old ailmentchronic complaint

Examples

旧病。
Tā de jiù bìng yòu fàn le.
His old illness flared up again.
旧病，。
Yīn wèi jiù bìng fù fā, tā qǐng le jiǎ.
Because the chronic illness recurred, he took leave.
旧病。
Zhè ge yào néng zhì liáo tā de jiù bìng.
This medicine can treat his chronic illness.

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

旧 means old, and 病 means illness, giving a chronic complaint.

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.

This origin belongs to the traditional form 舊; 旧 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú

雈雈huánowl

Sound part声符shēngfú

臼

臼jiù舊jiù

Same sound today

The traditional form of 旧 is 舊, which shows 雈, an owl, above 臼, which gives the sound.

Most characters — around four in five — are built this way: one part hints at the meaning, the other at the pronunciation.

疒丙病

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.

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