I saw on a board the other day someone referring to insecticide as "薬", which doesn't really fit with the English conception of "medicine". I looked up "薬" in Kenkyuusha, and sure enough, "chemical" was listed as a meaning (along with "enamel", which is just weird if you ask me, but anyway . . .). My question is, how broadly does the "chemical" sense apply in normal usage? For example, would an adhesive,a cleanser, or a solvent be classed as "薬"? Additionally, are there other senses which might surprise an English speaker?
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I'd say the 'chemical' sense is a lot more central to 薬 than 'medicine'... In fact, the 'medicine' meaning you are referring to would more accurately be [chemical] 'pharmaceuticals' (I don't think natural remedies would be formally called 薬). 薬学 is 'pharmaceutics'... In addition to istraci's examples, a common one is also 薬物: [legal or illegal] drugs.– DaveAug 26, 2011 at 1:50
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Thanks for this, Dave. "Pharmaceuticals" is an excellent fit, I think. However, 薬 clearly covers a wider scope than this; that's what I'm curious about. I'm not sure exactly what you mean by "natural remedies", though. For example, 「のどが痛いとき、蜂蜜はいい薬だ。」 seems OK to me. Is that the sort of thing you mean?– rdbAug 26, 2011 at 2:28
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btw is there an online version of kenkyuusha, or you mean you had a hard copy?– PacerierAug 30, 2011 at 18:29
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It's in my electronic dictionary. I don't know if there's an online version. I doubt it, but you can search if you like: 研究社 新和英大辞典.– rdbAug 31, 2011 at 7:07
2 Answers
If you pronounce it くすり, then it basically exclusively refers to something that will have a positive effect on living beings (primarily therapeutic but also in a more lax manner). In a strict sense くすり will be material, but it can also be used as a metaphor:
Note: I wrote くすり for illustrative purpose, but normally it is written as 薬.
このくすりを呑みなさい (therapeutic)
スパイスはくすりにもなるのでたくさん食べましょう ("good for your body")
歩道でスケートボードしてて骨折か。まぁ、いいくすりになったんじゃないの? (metaphoric)
水槽にくすりを入れてあげなさい (to non-humans)
Metaphorically, it can be applied to non-living things as well, but it must have an positive effect: 日本経済に処方するくすりとなるか?
When it's pronounced やく, it's basically exclusively used in conjunction with other kanji, as in 薬品、爆薬、薬量、薬価 etc. etc. Here it can more broadly refer to chemicals. If you are a chemist, a cleaner may well be a 薬品. If you are a layperson, to call an ordinal cleaner "薬品" sounds a bit odd. If it's some kind of an potent, special cleaning agent or something, then ppl use 薬品. I guess that's similar to English.
You might hear the word "ヤク", which I believe comes from 薬. This is exclusively a slang for entertaining drugs (basically illegal drugs).
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Thank you, Mr. Shioji. All that makes a good deal of sense (Although I still don't get the "enamel" thing. 笑) One more point, just to be sure I'm clear on this, though. In answer to 「日本経済に処方するくすりとなるか?」 would it sound odd to say 「いいえ、悪い薬になるはずだよ。」?– rdbAug 26, 2011 at 2:52
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@rdb: 薬(くすり) has this inherent implication that it will have a positive effect, so it would sound odd (oxymoron). You could say "いや、毒になるはずだよ" because 毒 (どく, toxins) is usually considered the opposite of 薬(くすり). Aug 26, 2011 at 3:38
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[[ 薬(くすり) has this inherent implication that it will have a positive effect ]] -- I've heard くすり often used as "illegal drugs" though (like くすりを使う人), so I don't think it's always positive.– istrasciAug 26, 2011 at 5:50
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@istrasci: That'll be "クスリ". I.e. a slangy use and an exception IMO. Aug 26, 2011 at 6:14
Additionally, are there other senses which might surprise an English speaker?
I was surprised at how it is used in relation to explosives:
- 火薬【かやく】 → Gunpowder
- 弾薬【だんやく】→ Ammunition
- 爆薬【ばくやく】→ Explosive
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Thanks for these. However, however, would these all be considered 薬? Gunpowder I could see, an explosive compound too, but ammunition in a generic sense I'm not too sure about.– rdbAug 26, 2011 at 1:13