Proverb / Kotowaza
一に看病二に薬
Recovery from illness depends primarily on devoted nursing and care, with medicine playing a secondary role.
First nursing, second medicine
Quick Answer
Recovery from illness depends primarily on devoted nursing and care, with medicine playing a secondary role.
- Literal Image
- First nursing, second medicine
- Closest Equivalent
- Nursing comes first, medicine second
- How to Use It
- This proverb is used to emphasize the importance of dedicated caregiving and emotional support in the recovery process of an ill person.
Meaning
To help a patient recover, providing heartfelt nursing and care is the most important factor. While medicine is necessary, the psychological and physical support of those around the patient is considered the primary driver of healing.
Literal Image
First nursing, second medicine
Equivalent Proverbs
Nursing comes first, medicine second
A direct translation of the Japanese sentiment.
How to Use It
This proverb is used to emphasize the importance of dedicated caregiving and emotional support in the recovery process of an ill person.
Tone
Conveys a sense of traditional wisdom regarding health and the human connection in healing.
Examples
一に看病二に薬というが、母が病に臥せったとき、家族が交代でそばについていることで、みるみる元気を取り戻した。
They say 'first nursing, second medicine,' and when my mother fell ill, the family took turns staying by her side, which helped her recover her strength in no time.
Learning Notes
Key Vocabulary
The grammar is simple, but the specific medical vocabulary 'kanbyo' and the numbered idiomatic structure for priority ranking increase its complexity.
一
いち / ichi
one / first
看病
かんびょう / kanbyo
nursing / care
二
に / ni
two / second
薬
くすり / kusuri
medicine
Usage Profile
Misread Risk
This proverb should not be used to suggest that professional medical treatment should be ignored; rather, it highlights the added value of personal care.
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Origin
This expression stems from long-held experience suggesting that heartfelt care from family and those around a patient is the most effective element in recovery alongside medicine. While there is no specific historical event as its origin, it reflects the lived reality of an era before modern medicine was highly developed.
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Source Note
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