bìnglì: 病例 - Case (of illness), Medical Record, Case History

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Summary: The Chinese word 病例 (bìnglì) refers to a specific “case of illness” or a patient's “medical record.” Composed of the characters for “illness” (病) and “example” or “case” (例), it is a fundamental term in healthcare and public health contexts in China. Whether you are at a hospital discussing your medical history with a doctor, or reading the news about newly confirmed cases of a virus, understanding 病例 (bìnglì) is essential for navigating medical situations and public health information in Mandarin.

Pinyin (with tone marks): bìnglì

Part of Speech: Noun

HSK Level: HSK 5

Concise Definition: An instance of a disease; a patient's medical case or the written record of that case.

In a Nutshell: Think of 病例 (bìnglì) as the official story of an illness. It's both the abstract concept of a “case” (e.g., “a case of the flu”) and the physical or digital file that a doctor or hospital maintains for a patient. This file documents symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and progress. It is a formal, technical term used in medical and public health settings.

病 (bìng): This character's radical is 疒, which is known as the “sickness” radical. It is a pictogram of a person lying down in bed, clearly indicating illness. Thus, 病 is the core character for “sickness,” “illness,” or “disease.”

例 (lì): This character combines the “person” radical (亻) with 列 (liè), which means “to line up” or “to list.” Together, they create the idea of a standard, precedent, or an example that can be listed or referred to. Its core meaning is “example” or “case.”

How they combine: By putting “sickness” (病) and “case/example” (例) together, the word 病例 logically forms the meaning of a specific “case of illness.” It is one documented example of a particular sickness.

The Importance of Documentation: In China's large, centralized healthcare system, meticulous record-keeping is paramount. The 病例 is the fundamental unit of a patient's interaction with this system. It ensures continuity of care as a patient might see different doctors or visit different hospitals. It is the official, authoritative account of one's health journey.

Collective vs. Individual: While in Western cultures a “medical record” or “patient chart” feels very personal and individual, the concept of 病例 in China also carries a strong collective significance. During public health crises (like SARS or COVID-19), individual 病例 are aggregated into massive datasets. Analyzing these cases—`病例分析 (bìnglì fēnxī)`—is crucial for identifying trends, understanding transmission, and formulating national policy. The term's component, `例` (example), hints at this dual role: it is one person's story, but it is also an example that contributes to the broader understanding of a disease. This contrasts slightly with the Western focus, which is often more centered on individual patient privacy and care, whereas in China, the role of the individual case as part of a public health whole is more culturally prominent.

In Medical Education: Medical students learn by studying `典型病例 (diǎnxíng bìnglì)` - classic or typical cases - to understand how a disease presents and progresses.

Formality: 病例 is a formal and technical term. In casual conversation, you would not use it to describe feeling sick. You would say `我生病了 (wǒ shēngbìng le)` or `我不舒服 (wǒ bù shūfu)`.

病历 (bìnglì) - The written medical record or patient chart. Homophonous with 病例 but more specific to the document.

诊断 (zhěnduàn) - Diagnosis. The medical conclusion about a 病例.

症状 (zhèngzhuàng) - Symptoms. The individual signs of illness that constitute a 病例.

病人 (bìngrén) - Patient. The person who is the subject of the 病例.

病史 (bìngshǐ) - Medical history. A critical component of a patient's 病例.

确诊 (quèzhěn) - To confirm a diagnosis. A case becomes a `确诊病例` (confirmed case) after this step.

个案 (gè'àn) - An individual case. A more general term not limited to medicine, but can be used as a synonym in some contexts, like in `个案研究` (case study).

医生 (yīshēng) - Doctor. The professional who diagnoses, treats, and documents the 病例.

医院 (yīyuàn) - Hospital. The institution where 病例 are managed.

流行病 (liúxíngbìng) - Epidemic. A situation involving a large number of 病例 in a population.