Definition

Noun: - Chinese herbs: Medicinal substances used for treating illnesses or nourishing the body, processed from plants and herbs, traditionally imported from or originating in China. This term specifically refers to the system of herbal medicine based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) principles.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Ông ấy đang uống thuốc bắc để bồi bổ sức khỏe. (He is taking Chinese herbs to nourish his health.)
  • Cửa hàng này chuyên bán các loại thuốc bắc. (This shop specializes in selling various types of Chinese herbs.)
  • Bà tôi thường đi cắt thuốc bắc theo đơn của thầy lang. (My grandmother often goes to get Chinese herbs prescribed by a herbalist.)

Advanced Usage

• "Bốc thuốc bắc" / "Cắt thuốc bắc": To have Chinese herbs dispensed/prescribed. This refers to the process where a practitioner writes a prescription and the herbs are weighed and packaged.
  • Bác sĩ Đông y đang bốc thuốc bắc cho bệnh nhân. (The traditional medicine doctor is dispensing Chinese herbs for the patient.)

Variants and Related Words

• Thuốc Nam (noun): Vietnamese herbs. Refers to medicinal herbs and remedies originating from Vietnam, in contrast to .
  • Thuốc Nam thường dùng cây cỏ có sẵn trong nước. (Vietnamese herbs often use plants available domestically.)
• Đông y (noun): Traditional Chinese/Vietnamese medicine. This is the broader medical system that uses .
  • Bà ấy đi khám Đông y. (She went for a traditional medicine consultation.)
• Thang thuốc (noun): A dose/decoction of medicine (often herbal).
  • Một thang thuốc bắc thường gồm nhiều vị thuốc. (A dose of Chinese herbs usually consists of many medicinal ingredients.)

Synonyms

• Dược thảo Trung Quốc: Chinese medicinal herbs. (A more descriptive synonym.)
• Herbal medicine (Chinese origin): A direct English translation of the concept.

Related Phrases

• Sắc thuốc bắc: To decoct/boil Chinese herbs. This is the method of preparing the herbs by boiling them to make a liquid medicine.
  • Mẹ tôi đang sắc thuốc bắc trong nhà bếp. (My mother is decocting Chinese herbs in the kitchen.)
• Uống thuốc bắc: To take/drink Chinese herbal medicine.
  • Uống thuốc bắc cần kiêng kỵ một số thức ăn. (Taking Chinese herbal medicine requires avoiding certain foods.)

Related Idioms

• Thuốc đắng dã tật: Bitter medicine cures sickness. This idiom is often used in the context of herbal medicine, implying that something unpleasant (like bitter-tasting herbs) can be beneficial.
  • Cố uống đi, thuốc đắng dã tật mà. (Try to drink it, bitter medicine cures sickness.)

noun

1. chinese herbs