臓器移植

• Reading: ぞうきいしょく
• Romaji: zouki ishoku
• Kanji breakdown: 臓 (zou) — viscera, organ; 器 (ki) — vessel, instrument; 移 (i) — transfer, move; 植 (shoku) — plant, implant
• Pronunciation: /zoː.ki.i.ɕo.kɯ/

Meaning

Organ transplant. A surgical procedure to replace a failing organ with a healthy one from a donor.

A noun for the medical procedure of transplanting organs from one person to another. Japan's organ transplant laws (臓器移植法, 1997) are stricter than in many Western countries, requiring family consent even when the donor has a donor card. Common transplanted organs include kidneys (腎臓), liver (肝臓), and heart (心臓).

Examples

1. 臓器移植を受けたおかげで、患者の命が救われた。 Thanks to the organ transplant, the patient's life was saved.
2. 日本では臓器移植のドナーが不足していると言われている。 Japan is said to have a shortage of organ transplant donors.
3. 臓器移植についての意思表示カードを持っている人はまだ少ない。 There are still very few people who carry an organ donor card.

Usage Guide

Context: medical, ethics, news

Tone: serious

Origin & History

From Sino-Japanese: 臓器 (zouki: 臓 'viscera' + 器 'organ/vessel') + 移植 (ishoku: 移 'transfer' + 植 'plant/implant'). Literally 'transferring and implanting an organ.'

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal