医
doctor, medicine
Readings
On'yomi
- イ
Kun'yomi
- い.やす
- い.する
- くすし
Meaning
医 centers on the practice of healing: a doctor who treats illness and the medicine used to cure. The two meanings are tightly linked as the person and the substance of medical care.
Most common words using 医
24 of 505- 医療いりょうN2
medical treatment; medical care
- 医師いしN3
doctor; physician
- 医い
medicine; the healing art; healing; curing
- 医者いしゃN5
doctor; physician
- 医学いがくN4
medicine; medical science
- 医薬品いやくひんN1
medical and pharmaceutical products; medicinal supplies; drugs; pharmaceuticals; medicine
- 歯医者はいしゃN5
dentist
- 医学部いがくぶN3
faculty of medicine; college of medicine; department of medicine; school of medicine; medical school
- 医院いいん
doctor's office; doctor's surgery; clinic
- 獣医じゅうい
veterinarian; veterinary surgeon; vet
- 女医じょい
female doctor
- 医薬いやく
medicine; (pharmaceutical) drug; medical treatment
- 専門医せんもんい
(medical) specialist
- 主治医しゅじい
doctor chiefly responsible for a patient's care; doctor in charge (of a patient); attending physician
- 医大いだい
medical university; medical college; medical school
- 医科いか
medical science; medical department
- 法医学ほういがく
forensic medicine; forensic pathology
- 軍医ぐんい
military physician or surgeon
- 医局いきょく
medical office (esp. in a hospital); doctor's office
- 開業医かいぎょうい
private clinician; physician in private practice
- 侍医じい
court physician
- 医長いちょう
medical director; chief physician
- 医師会いしかい
medical association
- 歯科医師しかいし
dentist
Study
Etymology
医 is the modern simplified form of 醫. The older form combines 匚 (a container) with 殹, which likely contributed the sound and the idea of medical treatment. The modern 矢 inside 匚 is a simplification that does not carry the original component meaning.
Meaning mnemonic
Picture a doctor's bag (匚) holding a medical arrow (矢) used like a syringe. The bag contains the tools of medicine, so 医 means doctor and medicine.
Reading mnemonic
For イ, imagine an eagle (イーグル) doctor wearing a white coat and treating patients. The 'e' sound of eagle cues イ, and the doctor ties back to the meaning.