鼠疫 (shǔyì): plague

Meanings

中世纪的鼠疫夺去了无数人的生命。

Zhōngshìjì de shǔyì duó qù le wúshù rén de shēngmìng.

The plague in the Middle Ages claimed countless lives.

鼠疫是一种由细菌引起的传染病。

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