瘟

wēn
昷 + 疒

Definitions

wēn (noun) epidemic; plague; pestilence
wēn (adjective) dull; stupid; lackluster

Etymology phono-semantic

sickness

Semantic: 疒 Phonetic: 昷

About

A phono-semantic compound, 瘟 (wēn) is associated with pestilence, widespread epidemics, and deadly plagues. The enclosing upper and left radical 疒 (chuáng) serves as the semantic indicator for diseases, illnesses, and medical conditions in Chinese character morphology. Nested inside this illness radical is the phonetic component 昷 (wēn), which determines the character's pronunciation and historically carries meanings of warmth or temperature. Throughout its history, 瘟 has consistently described highly contagious, devastating diseases that spread rapidly through human or animal populations, and its usage has remained firmly tied to pathology, infectious diseases, and veterinary epidemics, never shifting into unrelated semantic domains.

Example Sentences Hide

这种瘟疫很可怕。

Zhè zhǒng wēnyì hěn kěpà.

This kind of plague is very frightening.

医生在对抗瘟疫。

Yīshēng zài duìkàng wēnyì.

Doctors are fighting against the plague.

瘟疫传播得非常快。

Wēnyì chuánbó dé fēicháng kuài.

The plague spreads very quickly.

去年这里发生了瘟疫。

Qùnián zhèlǐ fāshēngle wēnyì.

A plague broke out here last year.

人们把疾病比作瘟神。

Rénmen bǎ jíbìng bǐzuò wēnshén.

People compare disease to the god of plague.

为了防止瘟疫扩散，大家要戴口罩。

Wèile fángzhǐ wēnyì kuòsàn, dàjiā yào dài kǒuzhào.

To prevent the plague from spreading, everyone should wear masks.

如果瘟疫得不到控制，后果将非常严重。

Rúguǒ wēnyì dé bù dào kòngzhì, hòuguǒ jiāng fēicháng yánzhòng.

If the plague is not controlled, the consequences will be very serious.

科学家正在研究这种瘟疫的起源和传播途径。

Kēxuéjiā zhèngzài yánjiū zhè zhǒng wēnyì de qǐyuán hé chuánbó tújìng.

Scientists are studying the origin and transmission routes of this plague.

Related Characters

Component: 昷

温 氲 愠 媪 韫 鳁 缊 腽 辒 醖 塭 揾 榅 煴

Component: 疒

病 痛 疗 症 疾 疯 疼 疲 疫 癌 瘦 痕 瘤 痴

Example Words

瘟疫 瘟神 犬瘟热 猪瘟