病(やまい)

やまい
noun
illness; disease; bad habit
formalliterary
1. illness; disease
A physical or mental illness. More literary and formal than 病気, often used in set expressions and proverbs.
病(やまい)に倒(たお)れた。
He fell ill.
病(やまい)は気(き)からという言葉(ことば)がある。
There is a saying that illness comes from the mind.
長(なが)い病(やまい)と闘(たたか)いながら、彼女(かのじょ)は最後(さいご)まで前向(まえむ)きだった。
While battling a long illness, she remained positive until the end.
2. bad habit; weakness; obsession
A figurative usage referring to a persistent bad habit, character flaw, or unhealthy obsession that one cannot easily overcome.
浪費(ろうひ)は彼(かれ)の病(やまい)だ。
Spending money wastefully is his bad habit.
完璧(かんぺき)を求(もと)めるのは彼女(かのじょ)の病(やまい)だ。
Seeking perfection is her weakness.
収集(しゅうしゅう)の病(やまい)が始(はじ)まると、家中(いえじゅう)が物(もの)であふれてしまう。
Once the collecting bug takes hold, the whole house overflows with things.

Usage

More literary and formal than 病気(びょうき). Often found in proverbs, set phrases, and written language. In everyday conversation, 病気(びょうき) is the standard choice.

Key proverbs

  • 病(やまい)は気(き)から: illness comes from the mind (attitude affects health)
  • 病(やまい)膏肓(こうこう)に入(い)る: the illness has entered a critical stage; to be beyond help (often used figuratively for obsessions)

Common collocations

Related Words

Synonym: 病気(びょうき) (illness (everyday))
Related: 病(や)む (to be ill (verb))
Compare: 疾患(しっかん) (disease)
general
Added 2026.2.26 19:30 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
13500/13610_yamai