藿香正气水

藿香正氣水

huòxiāngzhèngqìshuǐ

noun

Measure Word

一瓶藿香正气水 píng

Meanings

1 Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui (classic TCM liquid for summer-heat stomach upset and heatstroke)

Characters

patchouli (herb)

upright, proper

qi, vital energy

Examples

中暑了喝一瓶藿香正气水。

Zhòngshǔ le hē yì píng huòxiāng zhèngqì shuǐ.

Drink a bottle of Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui when you have heatstroke.

藿香正气水很难喝，但是管用。

Huòxiāng zhèngqì shuǐ hěn nán hē, dànshì guǎnyòng.

Huoxiang Zhengqi Shui tastes awful, but it works.

Tips

culture

A staple of the Chinese household medicine cabinet. The formula dates to the Song-dynasty 《太平惠民和剂局方》. Warning: the liquid version contains alcohol, so drivers switch to 藿香正气软胶囊 (soft capsules).

register

The 正气 here is TCM jargon for 'upright qi' — the body's own defensive energy — not the everyday 'righteousness' meaning.

Stroke Order

藿 huò

香 xiāng

正 zhèng

气 qì

水 shuǐ