1.
epidemic; plague
A widespread infectious disease that affects many people in a region at the same time. Used broadly for both historical plagues and modern epidemics, often with a somewhat literary or formal tone.
疫病が広がった。
An epidemic spread.
中世ヨーロッパでは疫病で多くの人が亡くなった。
In medieval Europe, many people died from epidemics.
疫病の流行を防ぐために、政府は厳しい対策を取った。
In order to prevent the spread of the epidemic, the government took strict measures.
USAGE:
A somewhat formal or literary word for epidemic or plague. In modern Japanese, 感染症 (infectious disease) and 伝染病 (contagious disease) are more common in everyday and medical contexts, while 疫病 tends to appear in historical narratives and dramatic descriptions.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 疫病が流行する: an epidemic breaks out
- 疫病が蔓延する: an epidemic spreads widely
- 疫病に罹る: to contract an epidemic disease
- 疫病神: god of pestilence; jinx, person who brings bad luck