疽 (jū) - A deep-seated ulcer or carbuncle & a serious skin infection or gangrenous sore.

疽Tone 1

jū ｜ 10 strokes ｜ radical:

傑君

疽 · jū

A deep-seated ulcer or carbuncle;

a serious skin infection or gangrenous sore.

A deep-seated ulcer or carbunclea serious skin infection or gangrenous sore.

Usage highlights

carbunclegangreneskin ulcermalignant sorefestering ulcerputrid sore

Synonyms

  • 痈— carbuncle, abscess
  • 疮— sore, skin ulcer
  • 疖— boil, furuncle

Antonyms

  • 愈— healed, recovered
  • 健— healthy, robust

Usage & contexts

Examples

  • He suffered from a carbuncle (疽) on his back.
  • The wound developed into gangrene (坏疽).
  • Traditional Chinese medicine treats skin ulcers (痈疽).
  • Necrotizing fasciitis is a type of gangrene (坏死性筋膜炎是一种疽).

Collocations

  • carbuncle(疽)
  • gangrene(坏疽)
  • skin ulcer(痈疽)
  • malignant sore(恶疽)
  • festering ulcer(溃疽)
  • putrid sore(腐疽)

Idioms

  • Like a carbuncle on the back — a pressing danger(如疽附背)
  • A festering sore that must be lanced — an urgent problem(痈疽必溃)
  • To cut out the gangrene to save the flesh — drastic but necessary measure(剜疽救肉)

Cultural background

FAQ
  • In traditional Chinese medicine, 疽 refers to deep, hard, and difficult-to-heal skin lesions, often with systemic implications.
  • The character appears in classical medical texts like Huangdi Neijing, distinguishing 疽 from more superficial skin conditions.
  • Metaphorically used to describe deeply entrenched problems or moral corruption that's hard to eradicate.

FAQ