病
他生病了，需要休息。
He is sick and needs to rest.
A condition of the body or one of its parts that impairs normal physiological function and is typically manifested by distinguishing signs and symptoms.
医生诊断出他患有心脏病。
The doctor diagnosed him with heart disease.
In Chinese, 病 can refer to both acute and chronic illnesses.
A specific illness or disorder.
这种病传染性很强。
This disease is highly contagious.
To be ill; to suffer from a disease.
他最近常常生病。
He has been sick frequently recently.
A fault, defect, or flaw.
这个设计有病，需要改进。
This design has a flaw and needs improvement.
Rare usage in modern contexts; more common in classical Chinese.
To find fault with; to criticize.
他总是病别人，自己却不反省。
He always criticizes others but never reflects on himself.
Rare usage in modern contexts; more common in classical Chinese.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing 病 and 疾病
病 is a single-character word for illness, while 疾病 is a two-character compound often used in formal or written contexts to mean 'disease' or 'illness.' 病 is more commonly used in everyday speech.
Gold Rule
Using 病 in sentences
When using 病 as a verb (to be ill), it often pairs with 生 (to get) as 生病 (to fall ill). Example: 他生病了 (He is sick).
Word Origin
From Old Chinese 疒 (disease) + 丙 (phonetic component), indicating illness. The character 病 evolved from a pictogram of a person lying in bed with an illness.
Usage Notes
病 is a general term for illness and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. In medical contexts, it often pairs with other characters to specify the type of illness (e.g., 心脏病 for heart disease, 感冒病 for cold).