急性

• Reading: きゅうせい
• Romaji: kyuusei
• Kanji breakdown: 急 (kyuu) — sudden, urgent; 性 (sei) — nature, character
• Pronunciation: /kjɯː.seː/

Meaning

Acute (illness). A condition with rapid onset and short duration.

A no-adjective (急性の) used in medical contexts as the opposite of 慢性 (chronic). Describes conditions that appear suddenly and progress quickly. Common in compounds like 急性胃腸炎 (acute gastroenteritis) and 急性アルコール中毒 (acute alcohol poisoning).

Examples

1. 急性の胃腸炎で三日間寝込んだ。 I was bedridden for three days with acute gastroenteritis.
2. 急性アルコール中毒は命に関わることもある。 Acute alcohol poisoning can be life-threatening.
3. 症状から見て急性の炎症だと思われる。 Judging from the symptoms, it appears to be an acute inflammation.

Usage Guide

Context: health, emergency medicine, news

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

Compound of 急 (kyuu, sudden/urgent) and 性 (sei, nature/character). Literally 'of a sudden nature,' describing conditions that develop rapidly.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal