肿瘤

• Pinyin: zhǒng liú
• Hanzi breakdown: 肿 = 月 + 中 (flesh + middle — swelling); 瘤 = 疒 + 留 (sickness + remain — growth)

Meaning

Tumour; neoplasm. An abnormal mass of tissue resulting from uncontrolled cell growth.

Medical term distinguishing 良性肿瘤 (benign tumour) from 恶性肿瘤 (malignant tumour/cancer). 肿瘤科 (oncology department), 肿瘤医院 (cancer hospital). Also used metaphorically for societal problems.

Examples

1. 医生在例行检查中发现了一个良性肿瘤，建议手术切除。 During a routine exam, the doctor found a benign tumor and recommended surgical removal.
2. 现代医学在恶性肿瘤治疗方面取得了突破性进展。 Modern medicine has made breakthrough progress in treating malignant tumors.
3. 腐败是社会的毒瘤，必须坚决铲除。 Corruption is a malignant tumor in society and must be eradicated.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, health, metaphorical

Tone: serious

Do Say

• 定期体检有助于早期发现肿瘤，提高治愈率。(Regular check-ups help detect tumours early and improve cure rates.)
• 肿瘤的治疗方案需要根据病理类型和分期来制定。(Treatment plans for tumours need to be formulated based on pathological type and staging.)

Don't Say

• 他是公司的肿瘤 — too harsh; for problematic people, use milder metaphors like 绊脚石 (stumbling block) or just describe the issue directly

Origin & History

肿 (swelling) + 瘤 (tumour/lump)

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal