药 yào
“medicine; drug; substance used for a specific purpose (e.g. poisoning, explosion, fermenting)”
nounHSK 2 · 2021 list level 2Traditional 藥Measure word 种 · 服 · 味
新HSK等级2025 HSK 3.0 syllabus level
药 appears in the November 2025 exam syllabus in the following numbered entry. Levels refer to the listed reading and use, not every meaning.
- Entry 468: 药 yào — Level 2; official annotation 2 (名). PDF page 91
Separate from the HSK 2.0 and 2021 list labels above. Compare the three lists.
用法How to use 药
药 is a noun meaning medicine or a drug that you take when you are sick. It is commonly used with verbs like 吃, 买, and 开, and in patterns such as 吃药 and 买药.
例句Example sentences
- 我感冒了，要去药店买药。wǒ gǎn mào le, yào qù yào diàn mǎi yào.I have a cold and need to go to the pharmacy to buy medicine.
- 医生说这种药一天吃两次。yī sheng shuō zhè zhǒng yào yì tiān chī liǎng cì.The doctor says to take this medicine twice a day.
- 妈妈让我吃完饭后吃药。mā ma ràng wǒ chī wán fàn hòu chī yào.My mother told me to take the medicine after eating.
常见错误Common mistakes
-
✗我每天吃药两次。
✓我每天吃两次药。
Frequency expressions like 两次 come before the object 药, not after it.
义项All meanings
- yào: leaf of the iris; variant of 药
- yào: medicine; drug; substance used for a specific purpose (e.g. poisoning, explosion, fermenting); to poison