verb HSK 2
to get sick · to fall ill · to be sick
Meaning
生病 means to become sick or to be in a state of illness. It combines 生 (to produce/happen) and 病 (illness), literally meaning 'to produce illness.' This is the most common and natural way to express being sick in Mandarin Chinese.
Usage
This is the standard, neutral term used in everyday conversation to describe someone being ill. It works for both temporary illnesses like colds and more serious conditions. Native speakers often use it with 了 (le) to indicate a change of state: 生病了 (got sick). It's appropriate in all registers from casual to formal.
Examples
- 01他昨天生病了，今天没来上班。, .He got sick yesterday and didn't come to work today.
- 02我妹妹经常生病，身体不太好。, .My younger sister often gets sick; her health isn't very good.
Characters
Common collocations
- 生病了got sick, became ill
- 经常生病to often get sick
- 生病住院to be hospitalized due to illness
- 因为生病because of being sick
Antonyms
Origin
The combination literally means 'to produce illness' or 'illness arises,' reflecting the Chinese conception of sickness as something that comes into being or develops in the body.