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The traditional character for medicine, "藥", is structurally composed of the grass radical "艹" indicating its botanical origins, combined with the phonetic component "樂", which historically contributed to its pronunciation while loosely implying a sense of alleviation. This form originally referred specifically to herbal substances used for therapeutic purposes. In the simplified character "药", the grass radical remains, but the phonetic element is replaced by "约", which provides a comparable sound without retaining the earlier semantic nuance. Over time, the meaning expanded from plant-based remedies to include all types of medicinal substances, such as compounded drugs and chemical pharmaceuticals, mirroring the development of medical materials beyond purely herbal sources.
Etymology Hide
Example Sentences Hide
药已经吃完了。
请你按时吃这种药。
这个药方的效果很好。
中药和西药各有优势。
这家药店的营业时间很长。
滥用药物会导致健康问题。
新药的研发需要大量资金。
这种农药对环境的危害很大。