伤员

• Pinyin: shāng yuán
• Hanzi breakdown: 伤 = injured; 员 = 口 (mouth) + 贝 (shell) — member, person — wounded person

Meaning

Wounded person; casualty; injured person. Someone who has been hurt in an accident, conflict, or disaster.

Often used in emergency, military, and disaster response contexts. Implies someone needing medical attention. More formal than simply saying 受伤的人, this term is standard in news reports, military communications, and official disaster response.

Examples

1. 救护车紧急将伤员送往最近的医院。 The ambulance urgently transported the wounded to the nearest hospital.
2. 医疗队正在现场救治伤员。 The medical team is treating the injured at the scene.
3. 所有伤员都已经得到了妥善的安置。 All the wounded have been properly accommodated.

Usage Guide

Context: emergency, military, medical

Tone: urgent

Do Say

• 伤员需要立即手术。(The wounded need immediate surgery.)
• 先救助重伤员。(Help the seriously wounded first.)

Don't Say

• 不要用'伤员'形容轻微擦伤 (Don't use 伤员 for minor scrapes — it implies serious injury requiring medical attention)

Origin & History

Compound of 伤 (injured, wounded) + 员 (person, member). Together meaning 'injured person.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal