Chinese word

传染

Pronunciation

Pinyinchuán rǎn

Meaning

  • verbget infected

Example

我不想被传染。wǒ bù xiǎng bèi chuán rǎn

I don't want to get infected.

Illustration for 传染 (get infected)

More examples

许多病毒可以在密闭空间里通过空气传染。xǔ duō bìng dú ké yǐ zài mì bì kōng jiān lǐ tōng guò kōng qì chuán rǎn

Many viruses can spread through the air in enclosed spaces.

Core concept

An illness-causing agent crosses from a person or contaminated source into someone who was not infected, spreading illness along a chain.

Common phrases

  • 把病毒传染给他人bǎ bìng dú chuán rán gěi tā rén

    spread the virus to others

  • 被传染了bèi chuán rǎn le

    get infected

  • 通过空气传染tōng guò kōng qì chuán rǎn

    spread through the air

Similar words

感染gán rǎn: To become ill when a germ enters the body and causes symptoms.
传播chuán bō: To spread an illness or virus among people or across places.
传递chuán dì: To pass a germ to another person through the hands or an object.
扩散kuò sàn: To spread a virus or particles over a wide area.

Definition in Chinese

病原微生物（如病毒、细菌）通过直接接触、飞沫或被污染物传播，使原本未感染的人也发生疾病的现象或过程。bìng yuán wēi shēng wù rú bìng dú xì jūn tōng guò zhí jiē jiē chù fēi mò huò bèi wū rǎn wù chuán bō shǐ yuán běn wèi gán rǎn de rén yě fā shēng jí bìng de xiàn xiàng huò guò chéng

Word origin

传染 (chuánrǎn, "to transmit an infection") combines 传 (chuán, "to pass on") with 染 (rǎn, "to stain or affect"), presenting illness as something that moves into another person.

Usage tips

  • English separates the roles in infect and get infected, while 传染 (chuánrǎn, "infect or get infected") can cover either role; sentence structure shows the direction.

Other meanings

  • infectverb

Related words

Word lists with this word