医|いi[1]atamadaka (head-high)

1. nounmedicine; the healing art; healing; curing
2. noun, noun (suffix)doctor
   金髪きんぱつ女性じょせいが精神科医せいしんかいと会話かいわをしている。↗

   A blonde is speaking to her psychiatrist.

• Synonym医学いがくNeutralThe usual word for medicine as a field of study, common in both speech and writing. 「医」 on its own is literary and mostly serves as a compound element.
• SynonymドクターCasualColloquial loanword for doctor; can also mean someone with a doctorate. 「医」 alone rarely means doctor, serving mostly to form compounds.
• Synonym医術いじゅつWrittenWritten word for the skill of treating illness, as in 「医術を学ぶ」. 「医」 is broader, covering medicine, the healing art and doctors, and usually appears in compounds.
• Synonym医道いどうWrittenWritten and rare: the way of the physician, covering medical ethics and skill. 「医」 is broader, meaning medicine, the healing art, or a doctor.
• Relatedお医者さんおいしゃさんCasualColloquial and friendly way to say doctor, often used with children or in everyday talk. 「医」 alone rarely means doctor, appearing mostly in compounds like 「主治医」.
• Related医師いしFormalFormal term for a licensed physician, as in 「医師免許」. 「医」 works as a suffix in everyday words such as 「主治医」 and 「専門医」.
• Related医者いしゃNeutralThe everyday word for doctor. 「医」 is seldom used alone, functioning mainly as a suffix in words like 「主治医」 and 「専門医」.
• Related医家いかWrittenLiterary and dated: a doctor, or a family of doctors. 「医」 is broader in scope, also covering the healing art and medicine as a field.
• Related医業いぎょうWrittenWritten word for the profession of practicing medicine, found in laws and professional contexts. 「医」 covers the art, the science, and the doctor.
• Antonym患者かんじゃNeutralThe person receiving treatment. In the doctor–patient relationship it is the opposite of 「医」, which stands for the doctor and the medical side.

「医」 is seldom used on its own; it mostly appears in compounds like 「主治医」 or in phrases such as 「医は仁術」. To say doctor, use 「医者」 in everyday speech and 「医師」 in formal contexts; medicine as a discipline is 「医学」, and the patient is 「患者」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 病気びょうきやけがを治なおす技術ぎじゅつや学問がくもん。
2. 病人びょうにんの診察しんさつや治療ちりょうを職業しょくぎょうとする人ひと。