Chinese word

瘟疫

Pronunciation

Pinyinwēn yì

Meaning

  • nounepidemic

Example

最近村里出现了瘟疫，大家都很紧张。zuì jìn cūn lǐ chū xiàn le wēn yì dà jiā dōu hěn jǐn zhāng

There has recently been an epidemic in the village, and everyone is very nervous.

Illustration for 瘟疫 (epidemic)

More examples

社区开展宣传，鼓励居民预防瘟疫。shè qū kāi zhǎn xuān chuán gǔ lì jū mín yù fáng wēn yì

The community ran an awareness campaign encouraging residents to prevent epidemics.

Core concept

A contagious disease crosses local boundaries and becomes a large-scale public crisis.

Common phrases

  • 预防瘟疫yù fáng wēn yì

    prevent epidemics

  • 应对瘟疫yìng duì wēn yì

    respond to epidemics

  • 监测瘟疫jiān cè wēn yì

    monitor epidemics

Similar words

传染病chuán rǎn bìng: A disease that can pass from one person to another.
流行病liú xíng bìng: A disease that spreads among many people in a particular place or period.
疫情yì qíng: The situation and spread of an infectious disease outbreak in a particular place or period.

Definition in Chinese

在一定区域内广泛传播、具有传染性并造成严重后果的疾病，常用来指大规模或严重的疫病。zài yí dìng qū yù nèi guǎng fàn chuán bō jù yǒu chuán rǎn xìng bìng zào chéng yán zhòng hòu guǒ de jí bìng cháng yòng lái zhǐ dà guī mó huò yán zhòng de yì bìng

Word origin

The word combines 瘟 (wēn, "epidemic illness") with 疫 (yì, "pestilence") to name a grave disease that spreads among many people.

Usage tips

  • In everyday Chinese, this word has a grave, formal tone and fits public-health news or historical writing more naturally than casual talk about one illness.

Other meanings

  • plaguenoun
  • infectious diseasenoun

Opposites

Word lists with this word