Chinese word

丸

Pronunciation

Pinyinwán

Meaning

nounpill

Example

睡前吃一颗安眠丸会好受一些。shuì qián chī yì kē ān mián wán huì hǎo shòu yì xiē

Taking one sleeping pill before bed makes you feel a little better.

More examples

长期服用某些丸前应咨询医生。cháng qī fú yòng mǒu xiē wán qián yīng zī xún yī shēng

Before taking certain pills for a long time, you should consult a doctor.

Core concept

A compact dose of solid medicine held together as one smooth, swallowable ball.

Common phrases

药丸yào wán
pill
补气丸bǔ qì wán
tonic pill

Similar words

药丸yào wán: A small, round piece of solid medicine formed from mixed ingredients.
药片yào piàn: A flat, thin piece of solid medicine made for swallowing.
胶囊jiāo náng: A swallowable medicine held inside a shell filled with powder or liquid.
丸剂wán jì: A solid medicine made by kneading ingredients and shaping them into a ball.

Definition in Chinese

指经过加工成小球状的固体药物，常作为便于服用的剂型存在。zhǐ jīng guò jiā gōng chéng xiǎo qiú zhuàng de gù tǐ yào wù cháng zuò wéi biàn yú fú yòng de jì xíng cún zài

Word origin

丸 (wán, "pill") developed from the ordinary sense of a small round ball to name medicines made by rolling ingredients into that shape.

Usage tips

Chinese commonly counts a pill with 颗 (kē, "classifier for small round things"), so this classifier is a useful link between the word and its grammar.

Opposites

片剂piàn jìtabletnoun

Related words

丸剂wán jìpill preparationnoun