生病

• Pinyin: shēng bìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 生 = a plant sprouting from the ground, meaning life or to produce; 病 = 疒 (sickness radical) + 丙 (phonetic), meaning illness

Meaning

To get sick; to fall ill. The standard expression for becoming unwell.

A verb-object compound meaning to become ill. Used for any kind of sickness, from a cold to a serious illness. Often used with 了 to indicate a change of state: 生病了 (has gotten sick). Can be modified with degree words, e.g. 生了一场大病 (had a serious illness).

Examples

1. 他生病了，今天不能来。 He's sick and can't come today.
2. 我昨天生病了。 I got sick yesterday.
3. 小孩子容易生病。 Children get sick easily.

Usage Guide

Context: health, everyday

Tone: concerned

Do Say

• 他生病了，不能上课。(He's sick and can't go to class.)
• 你生病了吗？(Are you sick?)

Don't Say

• 我很生病。(Don't use 很 before 生病 — say 我病得很重 for 'I'm very sick' or just 我生病了)

Origin & History

A verb-object compound of 生 (to produce/generate) and 病 (illness), literally meaning 'to develop an illness.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal