• 薬局やっきょく — pharmacy
• 薬品やくひん — chemical
• 服薬ふくやく — taking medicine
• 薬草やくそう — medicinal herbs
• 漢方薬かんぽうやく — Chinese herbal medicine

More examples ▼

The kanji 薬 combines the radical 艹 (grass, herbs) with the phonetic element 楽 (ease, comfort). It originally referred to herbs that bring relief or healing.

Today it broadly covers all forms of medicine, from traditional remedies to modern pharmaceuticals and chemicals.

この薬くすりを 一日いちにちに 三回さんかいのんでください。
Please take this medicine three times a day.

薬局やっきょくで 風邪薬かぜぐすりを 買かいました。
I bought cold medicine at the pharmacy.