Definitions
(noun)
illness; disease
(adjective)
swift; rapid
(verb)
hate; detest
About
The character 疾 is structurally composed of the sickness radical 疒 combined with the component 矢, which represents an arrow, a construction that points directly to its original semantic core. This etymological foundation conveyed the concept of an acute physical affliction, specifically the kind of sharp, piercing injury one might sustain from an arrow, thereby linking physical harm and swift onset. Over time, its primary meaning generalized from an acute wound to denote sickness or disease more broadly, encompassing various ailments. Concurrently, the inherent association with the speed of an arrow was preserved and abstracted, giving rise to the parallel meaning of rapidity or swiftness, as seen in words denoting quick movement. Thus, the character maintains a dual semantic legacy, with one branch pertaining to illness and the other to speed, both emerging from its initial pictorial logic.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
他患上了某种疾病。
汽车在公路上疾驰。
他疾步走向教室。
政府关心人民疾苦。
网络需要疾速连接。
这种慢性疾患很难根治。
探险队在雨中疾行。
他疾首蹙额地表达不满。