Taxonomy of meanings for 藥:　　

  • 藥 yào (OC: k-lawɡ MC: jiɐk) 以灼切 入 廣韻：【説文云治病艸禮云醫不三丗不服其藥又姓後漢有南陽太守河内藥崧以灼切三十一 】
    • DRUG
      • nmmedicine, medication; (dig for) medicinal roots, herbs or mushrooms
      • nmadNfigurativemedicinal; curativeCH
      • ELIXIR
        • POISON
          • nmpoison, sometimes poison with desired medical effects.
          • nmadVwith poison 藥殺
          • related action>KILL
          • related action>CURE
            • vtoNcure with medicine
            • vtoNpassivebe cured
          • synecdoche: medical>PLANT
            • npluralmedical plants; herbs
        • SURNAMES

          Additional information about 藥

          說文解字: 【藥】，治病艸。从艸、樂聲。 【以勺切】

            Criteria
          • POISON

            1. The current general word for poison is dú 毒.

            2. Zhèn 酖 refers specifically to wine poisoned with poison won from the zhèn 鴆 bird.

            3. Yào 藥 "medicine" is sometimes used to refer to poison.

          • DRUG

            1. The general word for medicine is yào 藥, but originally this word referred specifically to herbal medicine.

            2. Yuē 葯 is a specific word for the leaves of the bái zhǐ 白芷 aromatic herb.

            3. Fāng 方 refers to a medical prescription.

            Word relations
          • Epithet: (DRUG)良/EXCELLENT The standard current general word for anything or anyone who naturally meets certain generally accepted high standards of excellence is liáng 良 (ant. liè 劣 "inferior").
          • Assoc: (DRUG)方/DRUG Fāng 方 refers to a medical prescription.
          • Assoc: (DRUG)針/NEEDLE