鼠疫 (shǔyì): plague

Meanings

Zhōngshìjì de shǔyì duóqù le wúshù rén de shēngmìng.

The plague in the Middle Ages claimed countless lives.

Shǔyì shì yī zhǒng yóu xìjūn yǐnqǐ de chuánrǎnbìng.

Plague is an infectious disease caused by bacteria.

memory

鼠 (rat) + 疫 (epidemic) = plague. The name directly tells you the cause: rats spread the plague.

culture

Albert Camus's novel 'The Plague' is titled 《鼠疫》 in Chinese, a widely read work in Chinese literary circles.

鼠 shǔ

疫 yì