拒食

• Reading: きょしょく
• Romaji: kyoshoku
• Kanji breakdown: 拒 (kyo) — refuse, resist, reject; 食 (shoku/ta) — eat, food
• Pronunciation: /kʲo.ɕo.kɯ/

Meaning

Food refusal; anorexia; the act of refusing or being unable to eat.

Used both as a clinical term (as in 拒食症, anorexia nervosa) and to describe the symptom of refusing food in various contexts, including advanced dementia, depression, end-of-life care, or childhood feeding difficulties. Often discussed alongside 過食 (overeating) in eating disorder contexts. 摂食障害 (eating disorders) is the broader category.

Examples

1. 思春期に発症した拒食症の治療には、長期的なサポートが必要だ。 Treating anorexia that develops during adolescence requires long-term support.
2. 認知症が進行すると、拒食が見られることがある。 As dementia progresses, food refusal may sometimes occur.
3. 拒食と過食を繰り返す摂食障害の患者が増加している。 The number of patients with eating disorders who cycle between food refusal and binge eating is on the rise.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, psychiatry, eating disorders, dementia care, paediatrics

Tone: clinical

Origin & History

Compound of 拒 (kyo, refuse/resist) and 食 (shoku/ta, eat/food). Together they mean refusing to eat, with 拒 carrying the nuance of active resistance or rejection.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: General