liu4療疗
Jyutpingliu4
Yalelìuh
Definition
To treat, heal, or cure a medical condition.
writtenhealth
How it's used
This character is almost exclusively used as a bound morpheme in formal or compound words rather than as a standalone verb in spoken Cantonese. When people talk about healing or treating an illness in daily life, they prefer using the verb 醫 or 醫治 instead. You will mostly encounter this character in professional or institutional contexts like 醫療 or 治療.
Examples
He went to the hospital to receive treatment.
Is there any way to treat this kind of illness?
Related words
Common mistake
Learners often try to use 療 as a direct verb to mean to treat, but it sounds unnatural and overly literary in conversation. Always use 醫 or 醫治 when speaking.
Grammar color guide
Noun
Verb
Adjective
Adverb
Pronoun
Classifier
Particle
Connector
Grammar guides
- TonesCantonese has six tones, and the tones can change in certain grammatical contexts. Learn the six tones and the rules for tone change.
- Time and datesClock time, days of the week, months, and years. The patterns you need to make plans and talk about when things happen.
- Modal verbsHow to say can, will, may, should, must, and want. The core modal verbs of Cantonese and the differences that trip up beginners.
