健康 (jiànkāng) — health; healthy

HSK 5 | noun/adjective | health; healthy; sound; well

健康 (jiànkāng)

健康 refers to a state of physical, mental, and social well-being, and as an adjective it describes something or someone that is in good health or functions properly and positively.

Meanings

  1. [noun] health; good health (the state of being physically and mentally well)
  2. [adjective] healthy; sound; well (in good health; functioning positively and properly)

Example Sentences

世界卫生组织将健康定义为身体、心理和社会方面的完好状态,而不仅仅是没有疾病。 Shìjiè Wèishēng Zǔzhī jiāng jiànkāng dìngyì wéi shēntǐ, xīnlǐ hé shèhuì fāngmiàn de wánhǎo zhuàngtài, ér bù jǐnjǐn shì méiyǒu jíbìng. The World Health Organization defines health as a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease.

保持健康的生活方式,包括均衡饮食、规律运动和充足睡眠,对预防慢性病至关重要。 Bǎochí jiànkāng de shēnghuó fāngshì, bāokuò jūnhéng yǐnshí, guīlǜ yùndòng hé chōngzú shuìmián, duì yùfáng màn xìng bìng zhì guān zhòngyào. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle, including balanced diet, regular exercise, and adequate sleep, is crucial for preventing chronic diseases.

心理健康与身体健康同样重要,两者相互影响,密不可分。 Xīnlǐ jiànkāng yǔ shēntǐ jiànkāng tóngyàng zhòngyào, liǎng zhě xiānghù yǐngxiǎng, mì bù kě fēn. Mental health is just as important as physical health; the two influence each other and are inseparable.

这家企业积极倡导员工的工作与生活平衡,以维护员工的身心健康。 Zhè jiā qǐyè jījí chàngdǎo yuángōng de gōngzuò yǔ shēnghuó pínghéng, yǐ wéihù yuángōng de shēnxīn jiànkāng. This company actively advocates for employees' work-life balance to maintain their physical and mental health.

建立健康的消费观念,有助于避免过度消费和债务积压的问题。 Jiànlì jiànkāng de xiāofèi guānniàn, yǒuzhù yú bìmiǎn guòdù xiāofèi hé zhàiwù jīyā de wèntí. Establishing healthy consumer values helps avoid problems of overconsumption and debt accumulation.

经济的健康发展需要建立在公平竞争、透明监管和可持续资源利用的基础之上。 Jīngjì de jiànkāng fāzhǎn xūyào jiànlì zài gōngpíng jìngzhēng, tòumíng jiānguǎn hé kěchíxù zīyuán lìyòng de jīchǔ zhī shàng. Healthy economic development needs to be built on fair competition, transparent regulation, and sustainable resource use.

Collocations

Collocation Meaning
身心健康 physical and mental health
心理健康 mental health
健康生活方式 healthy lifestyle
健康饮食 healthy diet
公共卫生健康 public health
健康发展 healthy development

Usage Notes

健康 is a versatile word used not only in medical and personal health contexts but also metaphorically to describe social, economic, or psychological well-being. Phrases like 健康发展 (healthy development) and 健康的竞争 (healthy competition) use 健康 as a metaphor for something that is sound, balanced, and sustainable.

At B2 level, learners should note the difference between 健康 (health/healthy in a broader sense) and 卫生 (hygiene/sanitation). 健康 focuses on the state of well-being, while 卫生 focuses on cleanliness and disease prevention practices.

Memory Hook

健 (strong/vigorous) + 康 (healthy/well) — both characters mean strong and well, doubling the emphasis on being in good health.