郎中

lángzhōng

noun #34,998

Measure Word

一位郎中 wèi

Meanings

1 doctor of traditional Chinese medicine
2 ancient official title (court attendant during Qin–Han)

Characters

young man / official

middle / inner (palace)

Examples

村里的老郎中给他开了几副中药。

Cūn lǐ de lǎo lángzhōng gěi tā kāi le jǐ fù zhōngyào.

The old village doctor prescribed him a few packets of Chinese medicine.

他祖上做过朝廷的郎中。

Tā zǔshàng zuò guò cháotíng de lángzhōng.

His ancestors served as court officials with the title 'langzhong'.

Tips

history

Originally a Qin-Han imperial post — palace attendants/secretaries serving the emperor. By the Song dynasty, the term had drifted into popular use as a respectful name for traveling Chinese-medicine doctors (like English 'physician' carrying old courtly weight). Still used today as a folksy term for a TCM practitioner.

Stroke Order

郎 láng

中 zhōng