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精神病 (jīng shén bìng) — mental disorder; psychosis

Definition

精神病 is the clinical term for a mental disorder or psychosis — a medical condition, not just a mood. Unlike 精神 ('spirit / mind / mental state'), it specifically means illness; 抑郁症 is one specific type of mental disorder.

noun
mental disorderpsychosis
Measure word · 种

Examples

  • 精神病。
    Tā yīn wèi jīng shén bìng zhù jìn le yī yuàn.
    He was hospitalized because of a mental disorder.
  • 精神病。
    jīng shén bìng Huàn zhě xū yào shè huì de lǐ jiě hé bāng zhù.
    Patients with mental illness need society's understanding and help.
  • 精神病。
    Zhè zhǒng jīng shén bìng shì kě yǐ zhì liáo de.
    This type of psychosis is treatable.

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.

精神mind
精jīngessence神shénspirit
联合Coordinate
病bìngillness

「精神」 points to mind or spirit and 「病」 means illness, together describing a mental disorder.

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
米米mǐrice
Sound part声符shēngfú
青
青qīng精jīng
Close in sound todayThe sound part was a clue two thousand years ago — it often still helps, but not always.

精 pairs 米 (rice) with 青, which gives the sound; the character originally meant polished rice.

Open 精 →

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
示示shìgod; deity
Sound part声符shēngfú
申
申shēn神shén
Same sound today

The older form 申 drew lightning, which the ancients regarded as divine; 神 adds 示 (god/deity) to mark that meaning.

Open 神 →

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.

Open 病 →
Appears in
HSK 3.0 Level 7-9Mental Health5000 Most Frequent Chinese Words

Browse more HSK 7-9 words or search the full 43,000-word dictionary.