病: the kanji for illness and sick
病 is a JLPT N4 kanji that means illness, sick. Below are its readings, 9 common words and example sentences, all with audio.
Stroke order
病 is written in 10 strokes. The red stroke is the one to write next, and the dot shows where it starts.
Words by reading
病 has 4 readings in the official Jōyō Kanji Table. Below are 9 common words grouped by reading. Tap ▶ to hear each word (audio plays with a free account).
ビョウ (byou)
On reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 病院びょういん · byōin | hospital |
| 病気びょうき · byōki | illness |
| 看病かんびょう · kanbyō | nursing (a sick person) |
| 急病きゅうびょう · kyūbyō | sudden illness |
| 病室びょうしつ · byōshitsu | hospital room |
| 仮病けびょう · kebyō | pretending to be sick |
| 病人びょうにん · byōnin | sick person |
やむ (yamu)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 病むやむ · yamu | to become ill |
やまい (yamai)
Kun reading.
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 病やまい · yamai | illness |
Example sentences for work and daily life
- 病院は何時まで開いていますか。Byōin wa nanji made aite imasu ka.Until what time is the hospital open?
- 子どもが病気で、今日は休みます。Kodomo ga byōki de, kyō wa yasumimasu.My child is sick, so I'm taking today off.
- 急病の場合は、この番号に電話してください。Kyūbyō no baai wa, kono bangō ni denwa shite kudasai.In case of sudden illness, call this number.
- 母を一週間看病しました。Haha o isshūkan kanbyō shimashita.I took care of my sick mother for a week.
- 病室は三階です。Byōshitsu wa sangai desu.The hospital room is on the third floor.
- 病気のときは無理をしないでください。Byōki no toki wa muri o shinaide kudasai.Don't push yourself when you're sick.
Questions about 病
How many strokes does 病 have?
病 is written in 10 strokes. The stroke order is shown at the top of this page.
What are the readings of 病?
The on readings are byou (ビョウ), hei (ヘイ). The kun readings are yamu (やむ), yamai (やまい).
How do you tell your office you are sick in Japanese?
You can say 体調が悪いので、今日は休ませていただきます (taichō ga warui node, kyō wa yasumasete itadakimasu), "I'm not feeling well, so I'll take today off."
What JLPT level is 病?
N4. The JLPT does not publish official kanji lists, so this level is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used through 2009.
About the JLPT level
The JLPT does not publish official lists of kanji for each level. The level on this page is a guide based on the official Test Content Specifications used for the test through 2009. The JLPT states that the current N4 is designed to match the former Level 3.
More JLPT N4 kanji
Body and health
Executive Japanese by CCN is one-on-one online Japanese for managers and directors doing business in Japan.
Sources
- Jōyō Kanji Table (常用漢字表), Agency for Cultural Affairs, Government of Japan, 2010: readings and special readings of 病
- JLPT Frequently Asked Questions, The Japan Foundation and Japan Educational Exchanges and Services: how current levels match the former levels
- Stroke order diagrams are based on KanjiVG by Ulrich Apel, used under CC BY-SA 3.0. The diagrams on this page are shared under the same license.