B1 adjective Neutral #6,000 most common 1 min read

病気がちな

byouki-gachi na /bʲo̞ːkʲiɡa̠t͡ɕi/
Practice it

It describes someone who is prone to falling ill frequently.

Word in 30 Seconds

  • Describes a person who frequently gets sick.
  • Indicates a recurring tendency toward poor health.
  • Used to describe past or present physical condition.

Overview

「病気がちな」は、健康状態が安定せず、頻繁に体調を崩しやすい人を指す言葉です。「病気」という名詞に「～がち」という接尾辞がつくことで、「～する傾向がある」というニュアンスが加わります。2) Usage Patterns: 基本的に「病気がちな人」「病気がちな体質」のように名詞を修飾する形で使用されます。また、「幼い頃は病気がちだった」のように過去の習慣や状態を説明する際にもよく使われます。3) Common Contexts: 家族の健康について話す時や、自己紹介、あるいは個人の体質を説明する文脈で頻繁に使われます。医学的な診断というよりは、日常的な観察や主観的な健康状態を表すのに適しています。4) Similar Words comparison: 「虚弱な」という言葉がありますが、これはより体質的な弱さを強調する硬い表現です。「病気がちな」はそれよりも口語的で、頻繁に風邪をひくといった具体的な症状の繰り返しを指すことが多いです。

Examples

1

彼女は子供の頃、病気がちだった。

everyday

She was prone to illness when she was a child.

2

彼は病気がちな体質を克服するために運動を始めた。

formal

He started exercising to overcome his sickly constitution.

3

最近、少し病気がちで元気がないね。

informal

You've been getting sick a lot lately and seem low energy.

Common Collocations

病気がちな体質 Sickly constitution
病気がちな子供 Sickly child

Common Phrases

病気がちで困っている

Troubled by being prone to illness

Often Confused With

病気がちな vs 虚弱な

This implies a weak physical constitution from birth. It sounds more clinical and formal than 'byoukigachi'.

Grammar Patterns

名詞 ＋ がち 動詞の連用形 ＋ がち

How to Use It

Usage Notes

This word is an adjective (na-adjective). It is used to describe a state of being prone to illness. It is neutral in register but should be used with sensitivity.

Common Mistakes

Learners often use 'byoukina' instead of 'byoukigachi'. Remember that 'gachi' adds the nuance of frequency and tendency. Do not use it to describe a specific acute illness.

Tips

💡

Use for recurring health issues

This word is perfect for describing someone who catches colds or illnesses more often than average. Use it to explain a person's general health tendency.

⚠️

Avoid using it as a label

Calling someone 'byoukigachi' can sound like you are labeling them. Be empathetic when discussing health issues with others.

🌍

Health consciousness in Japan

In Japan, people often discuss health status to show concern. Using this term can express sympathy for someone's struggle with their immune system.

Word Origin

Derived from 'byouki' (sickness) and the suffix 'gachi', which indicates a tendency or inclination towards a certain state. It has been used in Japanese to describe health trends for centuries.

Cultural Context

Discussing health is common in Japan. Using this term shows you are paying attention to someone's long-term well-being rather than just a single cold.

Memory Tip

Think of 'gachi' as a 'habit' or 'tendency'. If someone has a 'sickness habit', they are 'byoukigachi'.

Frequently Asked Questions

4 questions

どちらも似ていますが、「体が弱い」は体質全般を指し、「病気がち」は実際に病気にかかる頻度が高いことに焦点を当てています。

はい、使えます。特に成長過程でよく風邪をひく子供について説明する際によく使われる表現です。

客観的な事実として述べる分には失礼ではありません。ただし、相手のコンプレックスに触れる可能性があるため、使い方には注意が必要です。

はい、「忘れがち」「遠慮がち」「曇りがち」など、特定の傾向があることを示す際に幅広く使われます。

Test Yourself

fill blank

子供の頃はとても___で、よく学校を休んだ。

Correct! Not quite. Correct answer: 病気がち

「～がち」という形が、傾向を表すため適切です。

Score: /1

Related Content

This Word in Other Languages

병약하다 Korean
Was this helpful?

Comments (0)

Login to Comment
No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!