职业病

• Pinyin: zhí yè bìng
• Hanzi breakdown: 职业 = occupation; 病 = 疒 + 丙 (illness)

Meaning

An occupational disease; a health condition caused by one's work environment or habits. Also used humorously for work-related quirks.

Examples

1. 长期在噪音环境下工作，他患上了职业病，听力严重下降。 After working in a noisy environment for years, he developed an occupational illness and his hearing declined severely.
2. 作为编辑，她有个职业病，看什么都想找错别字。 As an editor, she has an occupational habit: she can’t look at anything without wanting to hunt for typos.
3. 矿工们面临的尘肺病是最常见的职业病之一。 Pneumoconiosis among miners is one of the most common occupational diseases.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, workplace, humorous

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 长期伏案工作容易患上颈椎职业病。(Working at a desk for long periods can easily lead to occupational cervical spine problems.)
• 他总是习惯性地检查账目，这是会计的职业病。(He habitually checks accounts — it's an accountant's occupational quirk.)

Don't Say

• 我有感冒的职业病 — common illnesses like colds are not 职业病; it must be work-related or a professional habit

Origin & History

职业 (occupation/profession) + 病 (disease/illness)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal