Understanding 病院 (びょういん)
The word 病院 means "hospital" and is a fundamental noun used in everyday conversation when talking about medical care or health services. It refers to a medical facility where patients receive treatment, checkups, or emergency care.
Common Contexts
You will often hear 病院 in contexts such as visiting for a health checkup (健康診断), asking about hospital hours, or discussing hospitalization (入院). It is a neutral and polite term suitable for formal and informal situations.
Collocations and Patterns
- 病院で (at the hospital): used to indicate location of an action, e.g., 病院で診察を受ける (to have a medical examination at the hospital).
- 病院に行く (go to the hospital): common phrase when someone needs medical attention.
- 入院する (to be hospitalized): often combined with 病院 to describe staying in the hospital.
Usage Tips
When using 病院, remember it specifically refers to a hospital, not a clinic (医院 or クリニック). Learners sometimes confuse 病院 with 医者 (doctor), but 病院 is the place, not the person. Also, 病院 can be combined with other words to specify types of hospitals, such as 小児病院 (children's hospital).
Using 病院 correctly helps you communicate clearly about health-related topics in Japanese.