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灵药 (líng yào) — miraculous medicine; elixir

Definition

A literary word for a 'miraculous cure' — medicine, potion, or remedy thought to have supernatural healing power. Used in legends, classical contexts, or figuratively for a perfect solution.

noun
miraculous medicineelixir
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 灵药。
    Chuán shuō zhè zhǒng líng yào kě yǐ ràng rén cháng shēng bù lǎo.
    Legend says this miraculous elixir can grant immortality.
  • 灵药。
    Gǔ dài de huáng dì céng pài rén sì chù xún zhǎo líng yào.
    Ancient emperors sent people to search everywhere for miraculous medicine.
  • ，灵药。
    Tā de bìng hěn nán zhì, chú fēi zhǎo dào shén me líng yào.
    His illness is very hard to cure unless some miraculous medicine is found.

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.

灵língefficacious
药yàomedicine

灵 gives the miraculous quality and 药 gives medicine: a medicine with wondrous power.

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 靈; 灵 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
霝
霝líng靈líng
Same sound today

This note describes the traditional form 靈, not the simplified 灵: 霝 gives the sound, and 玉 (jade) is the meaning part.

Open 灵 →

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 藥; 药 is its simplified writing.

Meaning part形符xíngfú
艹Written in full as艸cǎograss
Sound part声符shēngfú
樂
樂lè藥yào
Same sound today

In the traditional form 藥, 艹 shows grass and 樂 gives the sound; this story is about 藥, not about the simplified 药.

Open 药 →
Appears in
Medicine & Treatment

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