Meaning
illness; sickness; disease; being sick
Nuance & Usage
病気 is the general word for illness or being sick. Common expressions: 病気になる (become sick), 病気です (I am sick). A milder expression for feeling unwell is 具合が悪い (guai ga warui — feeling unwell) or 気分が悪い (kibun ga warui — feeling nauseous/bad). For a specific disease, 病気 is used as a general term while specific illnesses have their own names: 風邪 (kaze — cold), インフルエンザ (influenza).
Common Mistakes
Learners often say 私は病気があります to mean "I am sick," but this is unnatural. The correct expression is 病気です (I am sick) or 病気になりました (I became sick). 病気がある can be used for chronic conditions (持病がある — have a chronic illness) but for general sickness, use the simpler form. Also, 病気 does not usually collocate with する — say 病気になる, not 病気する.
Example Sentences
昨日から病気で学校を休んでいます。
きのうからびょうきでがっこうをやすんでいます。
I've been absent from school since yesterday because I'm sick.
病気の時は無理をしないでください。
びょうきのときはむりをしないでください。
Please don't push yourself when you're sick.
お大事に。早く病気が治るといいですね。
おだいじに。はやくびょうきがなおるといいですね。
Please take care of yourself. I hope you get better soon.
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