药理 (yào lǐ) — pharmacology (the study of drug actions); pharmacodynamics / pharmacological action (in clinical or research contexts)

Definition

Refers to the science of how drugs act on the body (pharmacology / pharmacodynamics). Used in medical, pharmacy, and research contexts — not everyday vocabulary.

noun
pharmacology (the study of drug actions)pharmacodynamics / pharmacological action (in clinical or research contexts)

Examples

  • 药理，。
    Tā zhèng zài dà xué xué xí yào lǐ, jiāng lái xiǎng dāng yào shī.
    He is studying pharmacology at university and wants to become a pharmacist in the future.
  • 药理。
    Zhè zhǒng xīn yào de yào lǐ hái xū yào jìn yí bù yán jiū.
    The pharmacodynamics of this new drug still requires further research.
  • 药理。
    Yī shēng hé yào shī dōu xū yào liǎo jiě yào lǐ zhī shi.
    Both doctors and pharmacists need to understand pharmacological knowledge.

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.

药yàodrug
理lǐprinciple

药 “drug” and 理 “principle” combine for the study of how drugs work.

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 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 →

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
玉玉yùjade
Sound part声符shēngfú
里
里lǐ理lǐ
Same sound today

理 pairs 玉 (jade) with 里, which shows how to say it; the jade part points to the old sense of polishing jade.

Open 理 →

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