患者

• Reading: かんじゃ
• Romaji: kanja
• Kanji breakdown: 患 (kan) — affliction, trouble; 者 (ja/sha) — person
• Pronunciation: /ka.n.dʑa/

Meaning

Patient. A person receiving medical treatment or care.

A noun used in medical and healthcare contexts to refer to someone who is ill or receiving treatment. More formal than 病人 (byounin — sick person). Commonly appears in hospital settings, news about health, and medical discussions. The polite form 患者さん is standard when speaking to or about patients.

Examples

1. 今日は患者が多くて待ち時間が長い。 There are a lot of patients today, so the wait is long.
2. 患者さんの声にしっかり耳を傾ける。 We carefully listen to what our patients have to say.
3. この病院は一日に百人以上の患者を診る。 This hospital sees over a hundred patients a day.

Usage Guide

Context: hospital, medical, health news

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Composed of 患 (affliction, illness) and 者 (person). The kanji 患 contains 心 (heart) under 串 (skewer), evoking the image of a heart pierced by worry or pain.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal