Definition

1. Noun:

   • Complication, side-effect: A new, unfavorable medical condition that arises during the course of an existing illness, making the disease more complex and severe.
   • Complication (general): An unforeseen problem or difficulty that arises and complicates a situation, not necessarily medical.

2. Verb:

   • To produce a complication, to develop a complication: For a disease or condition to cause an additional, more severe medical problem. This verb form is used specifically in a medical context.

Usage Examples

• Noun:

  • Viêm phổi thường là biến chứng của cúm. (Pneumonia is usually a complication of the flu.)
  • Bệnh nhân tiểu đường cần kiểm soát đường huyết để tránh các biến chứng nguy hiểm. (Diabetic patients need to control their blood sugar to avoid dangerous complications.)
  • Dự án gặp phải một biến chứng bất ngờ. (The project encountered an unexpected complication.)

• Verb:

  • Bệnh thấp khớp đã biến chứng vào tim. (His rheumatism has produced a complication affecting his heart. / His rheumatism has complicated, affecting his heart.)
  • Nếu không điều trị kịp thời, bệnh có thể biến chứng. (If not treated promptly, the disease can develop complications.)

Advanced Usage

• "Biến chứng nặng" / "Biến chứng nguy hiểm": Severe/dangerous complication.

  • Bệnh nhân phải nhập viện vì biến chứng nặng. (The patient had to be hospitalized due to a severe complication.)

• "Phòng ngừa biến chứng": To prevent complications.

  • Mục tiêu điều trị là phòng ngừa biến chứng. (The goal of treatment is to prevent complications.)

Variants and Related Words

• Biến chứng phụ (n): A secondary or additional complication.
• Biến chứng hậu phẫu (n): Postoperative complication.
• Biến chứng as a verb is less common in everyday speech than its noun form and is primarily used in medical reporting or descriptions.

Synonyms

• Phản ứng phụ (n): Side-effect (often implies a reaction to medication, while "biến chứng" is broader and often more severe).
• Tai biến (n): Accident, mishap (often used for medical incidents like "tai biến mạch máu não" - stroke).
• Hệ quả xấu (n): Adverse consequence (general term).

Related Phrases (Collocations)

• Có biến chứng: To have a complication.
  • Ca mổ có biến chứng. (The surgery had a complication.)
• Dẫn đến biến chứng: To lead to a complication.
  • Nhiễm trùng có thể dẫn đến biến chứng. (The infection could lead to a complication.)

Related Idioms

Note: "Biến chứng" is a technical medical term and is not commonly used in Vietnamese idioms. Idioms related to unexpected problems or worsening situations are more general. - Tiền mất tật mang: To lose money and keep the ailment (meaning to suffer a double loss, similar to a situation worsening without benefit). This conveys a sense of an adverse outcome but is not a direct synonym.

noun

1. Complication, side-effect
   • viêm phổi thường là biến chứng của cúm
     pneumonia is usually a complication of flu

verb

1. To produce a complication, to produce a side-effect
   • bệnh thấp khớp đã biến chứng vào tim
     his rheumatism has produced a side-effect on his heart