What does 医 mean in Japanese?
医 means “medicine, doctor” in Japanese. You will often see it in practical words such as 医者 (doctor), 医学 (medicine; medical science), and 医院 (clinic).
For learners, the key is to study 医 through real vocabulary. The examples below show how the kanji works in words, sentences, and related kanji.
Reading
On’yomi: イ (i)
Kun’yomi: —
Basic Information
| Kanji | 医 |
|---|
How to Understand This Kanji
医 is not limited to one English translation. In 医者 (いしゃ), it means doctor; in 医学 (いがく), it points to medicine; medical science; and in 医院 (いいん), it is used for clinic. Reading these compounds side by side helps you understand the range of the kanji.
Common Words
- 医者（いしゃ / isha） — doctor
- 医学（いがく / igaku） — medicine; medical science
- 医院（いいん / iin） — clinic
- 医療（いりょう / iryō） — medical care
- 名医（めいい / meii） — excellent doctor
- 歯医者（はいしゃ / haisha） — dentist
Example Sentences
-
医者に診てもらいました。
いしゃにみてもらいました。 / Isha ni mite moraimashita.
I had a doctor examine me.
-
医学を勉強しています。
いがくをべんきょうしています。 / Igaku o benkyō shite imasu.
I am studying medicine.
-
近くの医院へ行きました。
ちかくのいいんへいきました。 / Chikaku no iin e ikimashita.
I went to a nearby clinic.
When Learners Usually See This Kanji
Start with 医者 (いしゃ / isha) because it keeps the core meaning of 医 clear. Then add 医学 and 医院 to see how the reading and meaning shift in real vocabulary. Do not memorize 医 as a single English word; connect it to actual words and example sentences.
Summary
医 means “medicine, doctor” and appears in useful Japanese words such as 医者, 医学, and 医院.