剂

• Pinyin: jì
• Hanzi breakdown: 剂 = 齐 + 刀 (齐 = even, orderly; 刀 = knife — measuring and cutting herbs to precise portions)

Meaning

Dose; preparation; agent. Used as a noun or measure word for medicinal preparations, chemical agents, or single dosage units. One batch of decocted herbal medicine counts as 一剂.

Appears widely in pharmaceutical and chemistry contexts: 药剂 (pharmaceutical preparation), 剂量 (dosage), 洗涤剂 (detergent), 试剂 (reagent), 催化剂 (catalyst). As a measure word, primarily used for Chinese herbal medicine.

Examples

1. 医生为他开了三剂中药，嘱咐他每天早晚各服一次。 The doctor prescribed three doses of traditional Chinese medicine and told him to take one dose in the morning and one at night each day.
2. 这种新型催化剂能在常温下大幅加快化学反应速率，有效降低工业生产能耗。 This new catalyst can greatly speed up chemical reactions at room temperature, effectively reducing energy use in industrial production.
3. 实验室中的各类试剂必须按照规定严格分类储存，防止因误混而引发危险反应。 All reagents in the lab must be strictly stored by category according to regulations to prevent dangerous reactions caused by accidental mixing.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, chemistry, pharmacy, science

Tone: technical

Do Say

• 临床数据显示，这种新型抗病毒制剂在规定剂量内能显著抑制目标病毒，且未见明显副作用。(Clinical data show that this new antiviral formulation can significantly suppress the target virus within the prescribed dosage range, with no obvious side effects observed.)
• 中医在配制复方制剂时历来强调君臣佐使的组方原则，各味药材的剂量比例须经过精细调配与反复验证，方能达到协同增效、减毒增益的最佳疗效。(When compounding complex formulas, traditional Chinese medicine has always emphasised the principle of sovereign-minister-assistant-courier; the dosage ratio of each herb must be carefully prepared and repeatedly verified before achieving the best therapeutic effect of synergistic enhancement and toxicity reduction.)

Don't Say

• 剂 vs 药 — 剂 is specific, referring to a measured preparation or agent; 药 is the general word for medicine. Do not use 一剂 for Western pill or tablet medicine — use 一片 or 一粒 instead

Origin & History

剂 = 齐 + 刀 (even/orderly + knife — cutting medicinal herbs to measured equal portions)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal