藥丸 / 药丸
yàowán
The English word "pill" is translated into Chinese as 藥丸 / 药丸 (yàowán). Wiktionary also lists 藥片 / 药片 (yàopiàn).
Meaning: small object for swallowing (noun)
Ways to say it
| Chinese | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| 藥丸 / 药丸 | yàowán |
| 藥片 / 药片 | yàopiàn |
藥丸 / 药丸 is a general term for a pill. It is often used for traditional Chinese medicine, which is frequently prepared in small ball forms. The character 药 translates to medicine and the character 丸 translates to pill.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 藥丸 / 药丸 (yàowán) is composed of 藥 (medicine) and 丸 (small ball/sphere).
Which one should you use?
While 藥丸 / 药丸 refers to pill-shaped objects (often spherical), 藥片 / 药片 specifically refers to flat or disc-shaped tablets.
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
yàowán
Did you know?
- In modern internet slang, 藥丸 is used as a homophone for 要完了, which means 'it is over' or 'we are doomed'. You might see it used to describe a failing sports team or a crashing stock market.
- In some traditional contexts, the phrase 金丹 refers to a 'golden elixir' or 'golden pill'. Historically, these were sought by Taoist alchemists who believed they could grant immortality.
- When people speak of 'taking' a pill in Chinese, they often use the verb 吃 (chī), which literally means 'to eat' rather than 'to swallow' or 'to take'.
Examples in context
- 我需要一颗药丸。I need one pill.
- 你吃了药片吗？Have you taken the pill?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pill” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
