症状

• Pinyin: zhèng zhuàng
• Hanzi breakdown: 症 = 疒 (illness) + 正 (correct, phonetic); 状 = 爿 (bed) + 犬 (dog)

Meaning

Symptoms; physical or mental signs indicating the presence of a disease or condition.

Used in medical contexts to describe observable signs of illness. Can also be used figuratively to describe signs or manifestations of problems in systems or organizations. Common in healthcare, psychology, and analytical discussions.

Examples

1. 如果出现发烧、咳嗽等症状，请及时就医。 If symptoms such as fever or cough appear, please seek medical attention promptly.
2. 医生根据患者描述的症状初步判断是流感。 Based on the symptoms described by the patient, the doctor preliminarily diagnosed it as the flu.
3. 经济衰退的症状已经开始显现，失业率持续攀升。 Symptoms of economic recession have started to appear, with unemployment rates continuing to climb.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, health, figurative

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 你有什么症状？(What symptoms do you have?)
• 这些症状持续多久了？(How long have these symptoms lasted?)

Don't Say

• 我的快乐症状。(Awkward — 症状 implies illness or problems, not positive feelings)

Origin & History

Compound of 症 (disease, ailment) and 状 (condition, appearance). Together they refer to the observable conditions of an illness.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal