Japanese word

漢方

Pronunciation

Romajikanpō

Meaning

  • nountraditional Japanese medicine

Example

父は毎朝、漢方を飲みます。chichi wa mai asa kan pō o no mi ma su

My father takes traditional Japanese medicine every morning.

Illustration for 漢方 (traditional Japanese medicine)

More examples

医師に相談して、自分に合う漢方を処方してもらいます。i shi ni sō dan shi te ji bun ni a u kan pō o sho hō shi te mo ra i ma su

I consult a doctor and have traditional Japanese medicine prescribed for me.

Core concept

It treats the body's condition as a connected whole and uses established formulas selected for a person's overall pattern of symptoms.

Common phrases

  • 漢方を飲むkan pō o no mu

    take traditional Japanese medicine

  • 漢方を処方するkan pō o sho hō su ru

    prescribe traditional Japanese medicine

  • 漢方に詳しいkan pō ni kuwa shi i

    be knowledgeable about traditional Japanese medicine

Definition in Japanese

中国から伝わった理論を日本で発展させ、複数の生薬を組み合わせた処方で体の状態を整える伝統医学。chū goku ka ra tsuta wa tta ri ron o nihon de hat ten sa se fuku sū no ki gusuri o ku mi a wa se ta sho hō de karada no jō tai o totono e ru den tō i gaku

Word origin

漢方 (kanpō) is formed from 漢 (kan, "China") and 方 (hō, "way or method"), expressing a medical method that came from China and developed in Japan.

Usage tips

  • Unlike the broad English phrase herbal medicine, Kampo can refer to a full medical tradition that includes diagnosis as well as remedies.

Other meanings

  • herbal medicinenoun

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