病弱

1. Origins, structure, and basic meaning

• Structure: 病弱 is read as びょうじゃく and is a na-adjective describing someone as sickly or physically frail and prone to illness.
• Basic usage: A present condition appears in 少年は病弱だ, while a past condition appears in 病弱だった祖母.

2. Common pitfalls and similar expressions

• Ongoing constitution or condition
  • It describes a generally weak condition that limits activity or makes illness common, rather than the single fact of being ill once.
• Difference from 虚弱
  • 虚弱 means generally weak in body or stamina, while 病弱 more directly suggests frailty that makes a person prone to illness.