薬(くすり)

くすり

noun

medicine, drug

1. medicine, medication

A substance used to treat illness or maintain health.

薬(くすり)を飲(の)んでください。

Please take your medicine.

薬局(やっきょく)で薬(くすり)を買(か)いました。

I bought medicine at the pharmacy.

この薬(くすり)は一日(いちにち)三回(さんかい)飲(の)んでください。

Please take this medicine three times a day.

薬(くすり)を飲(の)んだら、少(すこ)し楽(らく)になりました。

After taking the medicine, I felt a little better.

薬(くすり)は食後(しょくご)に飲(の)んでください。

Please take the medicine after meals.

薬(くすり) refers to medicine or medication used to treat illness. In Japanese, you 'drink' medicine (薬(くすり)を飲(の)む) even for pills.

Common expressions

薬(くすり)を飲(の)む: to take medicine
薬(くすり)が効(き)く: the medicine works/takes effect
薬(くすり)を処方(しょほう)する: to prescribe medicine

Types of medicine

錠剤(じょうざい): tablet
カプセル: capsule
粉薬(こなぐすり): powdered medicine
塗(ぬ)り薬(ぐすり): topical ointment
目薬(めぐすり): eye drops

Related places

薬局(やっきょく): pharmacy (dispenses prescriptions)
薬(くすり)屋(や)/ドラッグストア: drugstore

Usage

薬(くすり) can also mean 'drug' in illegal contexts, but 麻薬(まやく) is the more specific term for narcotics.

Related Words

Related: 薬局(やっきょく) (pharmacy)

Related: 病気(びょうき) (illness (what medicine treats))

Related: 目薬(めぐすり) (eye drops)

Related: 麻薬(まやく) (narcotic, illegal drug)

Related: ドラッグストア (drugstore)

Related: 副作用(ふくさよう) (side effect)

Compare: 医薬品(いやくひん) (pharmaceutical)

basic

Added 2026.1.7 21:08 · Revised 2026.9.4 21:29

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