救急

• Reading: きゅうきゅう
• Romaji: kyuukyuu
• Kanji breakdown: 救 (kyuu) — rescue, save; 急 (kyuu) — urgent, sudden
• Pronunciation: /kjɯː.kjɯː/

Meaning

First-aid; emergency (aid). Urgent medical response or treatment.

A noun and no-adjective (救急の) used extensively in emergency medical contexts. Appears in many key compounds: 救急車 (ambulance), 救急病院 (emergency hospital), 救急箱 (first-aid kit), and 救急隊 (emergency response team). An essential word for any medical emergency situation in Japan.

Examples

1. 救急病院は二十四時間対応している。 The emergency hospital is open twenty-four hours.
2. 家に救急箱を置いておくと安心だ。 It's reassuring to keep a first-aid kit at home.
3. 救急の患者が次々と運ばれてきた。 Emergency patients were being brought in one after another.

Usage Guide

Context: emergency medicine, daily life, news

Tone: urgent

Origin & History

Compound of 救 (kyuu, to rescue/save) and 急 (kyuu, urgent/sudden). Literally 'urgent rescue,' emphasizing the time-critical nature of emergency medical care.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal