药 (yào)

药 means medicine or medication. It refers to any substance taken to treat illness or pain, including both Western pharmaceuticals and traditional Chinese remedies.

Meanings

[noun] Medicine; medication; drug; remedy.

Example Sentences

医生给我开了一些药。 Yīshēng gěi wǒ kāi le yīxiē yào. The doctor prescribed some medicine for me.

你吃药了吗？ Nǐ chī yào le ma? Did you take your medicine?

这种药要饭后服用。 Zhè zhǒng yào yào fàn hòu fúyòng. This medicine should be taken after meals.

药店在超市旁边。 Yàodiàn zài chāoshì pángbiān. The pharmacy is next to the supermarket.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
吃药	to take medicine
开药	to prescribe medicine
药店	pharmacy; drugstore
中药	traditional Chinese medicine
西药	Western medicine

Memory Hook

药 contains 草 (grass/herb) at the top, because ancient medicines came from plants and herbs. Below is 约 (about/approximately), giving the pronunciation. Medicine is literally the essence of healing herbs, approximated into a cure.