(gǎn rǎn) - to infect, to become infected; infection in Mandarin
gǎnrǎnTraditional: 感染
Translation
to infect, to become infected; infection
Word origin
A compound of 感 (gǎn, to feel, to be affected by) and 染 (rǎn, to dye), literally to be dyed by something you have been touched by.
- Origin
- compound
- Root
- 感 (gǎn, to feel) + 染 (rǎn, to dye; 氵 water + 木 wood)
Stroke order
感
染
Examples
。
The wound has become infected.
。
He was infected by the virus.
。
The doctor says this illness infects other people very easily.
。
Her laughter caught on with everyone.
。
Be careful not to infect the children.
感染 (gǎn rǎn) is the medical word for infection, used both for catching something and for passing it on: 伤口感染了 for a wound going septic, 被感染 for a person catching a virus.
The second use is the one English speakers miss. 感染 also means to be infectious in the good sense, of a mood or an enthusiasm spreading through a room. 她的笑声感染了大家 is a compliment, not a public health warning, and the metaphor sits much closer to the surface in Chinese than "infectious" does in English.
Note that it is a verb first and a noun second. Where English says "he has an infection", Chinese normally says 他感染了 or 他有感染, with the verb reading feeling more natural in speech.
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感染: worksheet, infographic and listicle
Free printable study downloads for the Mandarin word "感染" (to infect, to become infected; infection): a worksheet with the answer key built in, an infographic, and a sentence listicle. Open any one to view, print or save.
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Start your free weekThis word is part of lesson 50.