錠剤

• Reading: じょうざい
• Romaji: jouzai
• Kanji breakdown: 錠 (jou) — lock, tablet; 剤 (zai) — medicine, preparation
• Pronunciation: /dʑoː.za.i/

Meaning

Pill; tablet; lozenge. A solid form of medicine taken orally.

A noun referring to medicine in tablet or pill form, as opposed to 粉薬 (powder medicine) or 液体 (liquid). Used in medical, pharmaceutical, and daily health contexts. Often specified by doctors or pharmacists when explaining how to take medication.

Examples

1. 水と一緒に錠剤を飲んでください。 Please take the tablet with water.
2. この薬は錠剤とカプセルの両方がある。 This medicine comes in both tablet and capsule form.
3. 子供には錠剤が飲みにくいことがある。 Children sometimes have difficulty swallowing tablets.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, pharmacy, healthcare

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 錠 (jou, lock/tablet) + 剤 (zai, medicine/preparation). The character 錠 originally meant 'lock' but came to refer to tablet shape, while 剤 indicates a pharmaceutical preparation.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal