健康
healthy; health
jiànkāng
What does 健康 mean?
健康 (jiànkāng) means 'healthy' as an adjective and 'health' as a noun. It is the standard word for physical wellbeing — a 健康的人 (healthy person), 健康的食物 (healthy food), 身体健康 ('good physical health,' a common toast and birthday wish). Unlike English 'healthy,' which colloquially extends to portion sizes ('a healthy serving') or attitudes, Chinese 健康 stays close to the literal meaning of bodily or mental wellness.
Two patterns matter: as a predicate adjective it follows the noun (他很健康, 'he is healthy'), and as a noun it commonly takes 保持 (bǎochí, 'maintain') — 保持健康 ('maintain health'). The phrase 身体健康 (shēntǐ jiànkāng, 'good health') is so embedded in social ritual that it appears in nearly every toast, Spring Festival greeting, and birthday card.
Note: Used in both speech and writing, and works equally well as an adjective ('a healthy diet') or a noun ('your health'). A standard part of toasts and well-wishes.
Character breakdown
strong; robust
well; at ease
Memory hook: 健 (strong body) + 康 (at ease) = strong and at ease = healthy.
Example sentences
他的身体很健康。
Tā de shēntǐ hěn jiànkāng.
His body is very healthy.
neutral
多运动对健康有好处。
Duō yùndòng duì jiànkāng yǒu hǎochù.
Exercising more is good for your health.
neutral
祝你身体健康！
Zhù nǐ shēntǐ jiànkāng!
Wishing you good health!
polite, ceremonial
她吃的东西都很健康。
Tā chī de dōngxi dōu hěn jiànkāng.
The things she eats are all very healthy.
spoken
Common phrases with 健康
Synonyms
Don't confuse 健康 with
健身 ('to work out, fitness') is exercise activity — 去健身房 (go to the gym). 健康 is the state of being healthy. You 健身 in order to stay 健康.
建 (jiàn) means 'to build, construct' — 建国 (found a nation). Same pinyin and tone as 健, but the meanings and radicals (建 has the 廴 'movement' radical) are unrelated.