生薬(しょうやく)

しょうやく
noun
crude drug; herbal medicine ingredient
medical
1. crude drug; herbal medicine ingredient; natural medicinal material
Natural substances — typically plants, but also minerals and animal products — used as ingredients in traditional medicine, especially in kampo (漢方). These are the raw or minimally processed materials from which medicines are prepared.
生薬(しょうやく)を煎(せん)じて飲(の)む。
To brew and drink herbal medicine.
この漢方薬(かんぽうやく)は複数(ふくすう)の生薬(しょうやく)を配合(はいごう)している。
This kampo medicine is a blend of multiple herbal ingredients.
高麗(こうらい)人参(にんじん)は古(ふる)くから貴重(きちょう)な生薬(しょうやく)として珍重(ちんちょう)されてきた。
Korean ginseng has been valued as a precious herbal medicine ingredient since ancient times.

Pronunciation

Also read as きぐすり, but しょうやく is the standard reading in medical and pharmaceutical contexts.

Usage

A technical term in traditional medicine, pharmacology, and kampo. Commonly encountered in product labels for herbal medicines and health supplements.

Common collocations

Related Words

Related: 漢方薬(かんぽうやく) (kampo medicine)
general
Added 2026.3.20 11:47 · Revised 2026.9.2 13:01
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