药
yào
medicine / drug
药 means medicine or drug. It appears in many compound words and is essential for pharmacy visits or describing health needs.
Example sentences
我需要买一些药。
Wǒ xūyào mǎi yìxiē yào.
I need to buy some medicine.
这种药一天吃两次。
Zhè zhǒng yào yì tiān chī liǎng cì.
Take this medicine twice a day.
How to use 药 in practice
药 is a health & medical item that is easiest to learn inside a complete sentence. Read it with the pinyin yào, then connect it to the meaning “medicine / drug” before trying to use it from memory. The examples on this page show the phrase in context: 我需要买一些药。 / 这种药一天吃两次。.
When you practice 药, do not stop at recognition. Say one example aloud, swap in a new person, place, object, or time word, and then use the phrase in a short answer. This turns a glossary entry into real Mandarin output and exposes word-order or pronunciation mistakes quickly.
Common learner mistake
A common learner mistake is to memorize 药 only as “medicine / drug” and then translate word by word from English. Instead, learn the whole chunk with the words around it. Notice which nouns, verbs, measure words, or polite markers appear before and after the phrase, and copy that pattern in your own sentence.
Mini practice prompt
Practice prompt: open Pharmacy medicine phrases guide, start a short conversation, and use 药 naturally in your first or second reply. If the sentence feels awkward, compare it with the examples above and try again with a smaller sentence.
Memory tip: review 药 tomorrow by covering the English meaning, reading only yào, and producing a sentence before checking the examples. Active recall helps this word survive beyond one reading session.
Practice related pages
FAQ
How do I say "I am allergic to this medicine"?
Say 我对这种药过敏. If you have a known allergy, it is smart to carry a written note in Chinese.
How can I remember 药 faster?
Say 药 inside a full sentence, change one detail, and repeat it in a realistic prompt. The combination of sound, meaning, and context is stronger than memorizing the translation alone.
Can I use 药 in conversation practice?
Yes. Start with the example sentence, then use 药 in a short AI conversation so you can see whether the surrounding word order and tone feel natural.
Published by AI Chinese Coach