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Words Kanji Guides About

抗うつ薬 (こううつやく) Japanese meaning | Kotomora

抗こううつ薬やく

こ

う

う

つ

や

く

Meanings

1

noun

medicine

Medical term for a drug used to treat depression.

医い者しゃに抗こううつ薬やくを処しょ方ほうしてもらった。
I got a prescription for an antidepressant from my doctor.
この抗こううつ薬

やく

は

副ふく

作さ

用よう

が

少すく

ない

と

言い

わ

れ

て

いる

。

This antidepressant is said to have few side effects.

Written forms

抗こううつ薬やく
Standard modern spelling using うつ for 'depression'.
抗こう鬱うつ薬やく
Traditional kanji spelling using 鬱; still seen but less common in everyday writing.

Kanji

抗confront, resist, defy
薬medicine, chemical, enamel
鬱gloom, depression, melancholy

Similar words

抗こう不ふ安あん薬やく
Anti-anxiety medication, as opposed to antidepressants which target depression.
精せい神しん安あん定てい剤ざい
Tranquilizer or mood stabilizer; a broader category that may include antidepressants but is not limited to them.

Etymology

Compound of 抗 (anti-) + うつ (depression) + 薬 (medicine). The spelling 抗鬱薬 uses the full kanji 鬱 for 'depression'.