痴呆

• Pinyin: chī dāi
• Hanzi breakdown: 痴 = 疒 (illness) + 知 (know) = foolish/obsessed; 呆 = 口 (mouth) + 木 (wood) = dull/stunned

Meaning

Dementia; senility; mentally dull or confused. Also describes looking dazed or stunned.

Medical term for dementia (老年痴呆). Also used colloquially to describe someone looking dazed, stunned, or mentally slow. Context determines whether it's clinical or casual.

Examples

1. 老年痴呆症是一种常见的神经退行性疾病。 Senile dementia is a common neurodegenerative disease.
2. 他听到这个消息后愣在那里，一脸痴呆的样子。 After hearing the news, he just stood there with a dazed look on his face.
3. 现在很多人更愿意用认知症来代替老年痴呆这个词。 Many people now prefer to use 'cognitive disorder' instead of the term 'senile dementia.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, description, colloquial

Tone: clinical

Do Say

• 预防老年痴呆要多动脑。(To prevent dementia, keep your brain active.)
• 他被吓得痴呆了似的站在那儿。(He stood there looking stunned as if in a daze.)

Don't Say

• 你真痴呆 (Can be very offensive as an insult — be careful with casual usage)

Origin & History

Compound of 痴 (foolish/infatuated) and 呆 (dull/stunned). Together they describe a state of mental dullness or confusion.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal