诊断 (zhěnduàn) — to diagnose
HSK 7 | verb | clinical determination of a disease or condition based on systematic examination
诊断 (zhěnduàn)
诊断 refers to the clinical process of identifying a disease, disorder, or condition through systematic evaluation of symptoms, test results, and medical history. At the C2 level, this term carries precise clinical weight: it implies not just naming a condition but applying evidence-based reasoning to differentiate between competing diagnoses. It is foundational in all branches of clinical medicine, pathology, and forensic science.
Meanings
- verb to diagnose; to clinically identify a disease or condition
Example Sentences
医生根据影像学检查结果，初步诊断患者为早期肺癌。 Yīshēng gēnjù yǐngxiàngxué jiǎnchá jiéguǒ, chūbù zhěnduàn huànzhě wèi zǎoqī fèiái. The doctor preliminarily diagnosed the patient with early-stage lung cancer based on imaging results.
经多学科会诊，专家组最终诊断为罕见的自身免疫性脑炎。 Jīng duō xuékē huìzhěn, zhuānjiā zǔ zuìzhōng zhěnduàn wèi hǎnjiàn de zìshēn miǎnyìxìng nǎoyán. After a multidisciplinary consultation, the expert panel finally diagnosed the condition as rare autoimmune encephalitis.
临床医生应综合病史、体征及实验室数据进行诊断。 Línchuáng yīshēng yīng zōnghé bìngshǐ, tǐzhēng jí shíyànshì shùjù jìnxíng zhěnduàn. Clinicians should integrate medical history, physical signs, and laboratory data to arrive at a diagnosis.
该系统利用人工智能辅助诊断复杂的心电图异常。 Gāi xìtǒng lìyòng réngōng zhìnéng fǔzhù zhěnduàn fùzá de xīndiàntú yìcháng. This system uses artificial intelligence to assist in diagnosing complex ECG abnormalities.
误诊率高的疾病往往症状不典型，诊断难度极大。 Wùzhěn lǜ gāo de jíbìng wǎngwǎng zhèngzhuàng bù diǎnxíng, zhěnduàn nándù jí dà. Diseases with high misdiagnosis rates often present with atypical symptoms, making diagnosis extremely difficult.
病理活检是诊断恶性肿瘤的金标准。 Bìnglǐ huójiǎn shì zhěnduàn èxìng zhǒngliú de jīn biāozhǔn. Pathological biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing malignant tumors.
Collocations
| Collocation | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 明确诊断 (míngquè zhěnduàn) | definitive diagnosis |
| 误诊 (wùzhěn) | misdiagnosis |
| 鉴别诊断 (jiànbié zhěnduàn) | differential diagnosis |
| 临床诊断 (línchuáng zhěnduàn) | clinical diagnosis |
| 诊断标准 (zhěnduàn biāozhǔn) | diagnostic criteria |
Usage Notes
诊断 is used strictly in medical and scientific contexts to mean the formal identification of a pathological condition. Unlike the colloquial 判断 (to judge/assess), 诊断 always implies clinical authority and methodological rigor. It frequently appears in medical records, research papers, and case reports where precision is legally and professionally required.
In academic and forensic contexts, 诊断 must be distinguished from 推断 (inference) or 评估 (assessment). A 诊断 carries clinical accountability: a physician who issues a 诊断 is professionally and potentially legally responsible for its accuracy. The term also appears in compound forms such as 诊断学 (diagnostics as a discipline) and 影像诊断 (imaging diagnosis).
Memory Hook
Think of 诊 (examine/consult) + 断 (conclude/cut off): a doctor examines and then cuts through uncertainty to reach a conclusion — that is a diagnosis.