医药

• Pinyin: yī yào
• Hanzi breakdown: 医 = 匚 (box) + 矢 (arrow), simplified form meaning doctor/medical; 药 = 艹 (grass) + 约, meaning medicine

Meaning

Medicine; medical and pharmaceutical. The field combining healthcare and pharmaceuticals.

An industry term covering both medical treatment and drugs. Common phrases: 医药行业 (pharmaceutical industry), 医药公司 (pharmaceutical company), 中医药 (traditional Chinese medicine), 医药费 (medical expenses). Broader than just 药 (medicine).

Examples

1. 他在一家医药公司做研发工作。 He works in R&D at a pharmaceutical company.
2. 中国的医药行业发展很快。 China's pharmaceutical industry is developing rapidly.
3. 医药费报销需要提供正规发票。 Reimbursement of medical expenses requires official receipts.

Usage Guide

Context: industry, healthcare, business

Tone: professional

Do Say

• 医药行业竞争激烈。(Competition in the pharmaceutical industry is fierce.)
• 他是医药领域的专家。(He is an expert in the medical-pharmaceutical field.)

Don't Say

• 买医药 — 应说'买药'，医药指整个行业领域，不用于具体购买行为

Origin & History

Compound of 医 (medical, doctor) + 药 (medicine, drug). Together covering the medical-pharmaceutical field.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal