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Words Kanji Guides About

瀉しゃ下げ薬やく

also: しゃかやく

Meanings

1

noun

laxative; cathartic; purgative

Medical term for a substance that promotes bowel movements. Used in pharmaceutical and clinical contexts.

この瀉しゃ下げ薬やくは便べん秘ぴの治ち療りょうに使つかわれます。
This laxative is used to treat constipation.
医い師しは強つよい瀉しゃ下げ薬やくを処しょ方ほうした。
The doctor prescribed a strong purgative.

Written forms

瀉下薬
- しゃげやく
  Standard kanji spelling for this medical term. The reading しゃげやく is the most common pronunciation.
- しゃかやく
  Alternate reading; less common than しゃげやく.
しゃかやく

Kanji

瀉evacuation
下below, down, descend
薬medicine, chemical, enamel

Similar words

下げ剤ざい
Common everyday word for laxative. 瀉下薬 is a more technical medical term.
便秘薬べんぴやく
Specifically a medicine for constipation; 瀉下薬 is a broader term that includes stronger purgatives used for bowel cleansing.

Etymology

From 瀉下 (しゃげ, purgation) + 薬 (やく, medicine). The kanji 瀉 means 'to pour out' or 'to drain', and 下 means 'down', together referring to the purgative effect.