麻ま薬やく

ま

や

く

Common wordJLPTN1Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

noun

narcotic; drug; dope

Refers to illegal or controlled substances, especially narcotics. Often used in legal, medical, and news contexts.

麻ま薬やくの使し用ようは法ほう律りつで禁きん止しされている。
The use of narcotics is prohibited by law.
彼かれは麻ま薬やく密みつ売ばいの容よう疑ぎで逮たい捕ほされた。
He was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking.

See all 106 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

麻ま薬やくを使し用ようするto use narcotics
彼かれは麻ま薬やくを使し用ようしたとして逮たい捕ほされた。
He was arrested for using narcotics.
麻ま薬やくに手てを出だすto get involved with drugs
彼かれは若わかい頃ころ、麻ま薬やくに手てを出だしてしまった。
When he was young, he got involved with drugs.
麻ま薬やくから足あしを洗あらうto quit drugs for good
彼かの女じょは麻ま薬やくから足あしを洗あらい、新あたらしい人じん生せいを始はじめた。
She kicked drugs for good and started a new life.
麻ま薬やくに依い存ぞんするto become dependent on narcotics
長ちょう期き間かんの使し用ようで麻ま薬やくに依い存ぞんするようになった。
After long-term use, he became dependent on narcotics.

Kanji

麻hemp, flax, numb
薬medicine, chemical, enamel
痲measles, paralysis

Related words· 6

薬やく物ぶつ
薬物 is a broad term covering all drugs and chemical substances, including legal medicines, while 麻薬 specifically means illegal narcotics.
覚かく醒せい剤ざいN1
覚醒剤 refers specifically to stimulant drugs like methamphetamine, whereas 麻薬 is the general legal term for narcotics such as opiates.
ドラッグ
ドラッグ is a casual loanword for recreational drugs, while 麻薬 is the formal, legal/medical term used in news and law.
ヘロイン
麻薬 is the broad legal/medical term for narcotics in general, while ヘロイン names one specific narcotic drug.

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コカイン
麻薬 is the broad legal/medical term for narcotics in general, while コカイン names one specific drug within that category.
薬くすりN5
麻薬 specifically names narcotics or illegal drugs in formal/legal contexts, while 薬 in this sense is a more casual, general word for the same idea.

Don't confuse with

農のう薬やくN2
農薬 (agricultural pesticide) shares the kanji 薬 with 麻薬 (narcotic) but refers to a completely unrelated chemical product used in farming.
火か薬やくN1
火薬 (gunpowder/explosive) looks and sounds similar to 麻薬 but means an explosive substance, not a drug.
麻ま酔すいN1
麻薬 means narcotics or illegal drugs, whereas 麻酔 is the medical procedure of anesthesia used for surgery or pain control.

Word family· 22

麻ま薬やく犬けん
drug-sniffing dog; narcotics detection dog
麻ま薬やく王おう
drug lord; drug baron
合ごう成せい麻ま薬やく
synthetic drug; designer drug
麻ま薬やくテロ
narcoterrorism
麻ま薬やく中ちゅう毒どく
drug addiction

Show 5 more

麻ま薬やく取とり引ひき
drug deal; drug trafficking; drug trade
麻ま薬やく取とり締しまり
narcotics control; drug enforcement
麻ま薬やく国こっ家か
narco-state
麻ま薬やく密みつ売ばい
drug trafficking; illegal drug dealing
麻ま薬やく密みつ輸ゆ
drug trafficking; drug smuggling

See all 22 in Explore →

Written forms

麻ま薬やくUsage100%
Standard kanji spelling; high frequency in news and general use.
痲ま薬やく
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form.

Etymology

Compound of 麻 (ma, 'hemp; numbing') and 薬 (yaku, 'drug, medicine'), originally referring to drugs derived from hemp or those with numbing effects. The spelling is conventional and not ateji.