How to Write 疳 (gān) — Meaning “infantile malnutrition”

Picture a sick child (疒) who only eats sweet foods (甘) and becomes malnourished. The image of a child surrounded by candy but falling ill helps connect the meaning of infantile malnutrition to the character's components.

Pay attention to the illness radical's diagonal stroke (撇) – it should not extend into the right part. The right part 甘 has three horizontal lines; the middle one is shorter than the top and bottom, and the vertical stroke must be straight to keep the character balanced.

All three share the illness radical 疒, but they differ in the right component. 疳 uses 甘 and means infantile malnutrition; 疙 uses 乞 and means a skin bump (as in 疙瘩); 疚 uses 久 and means guilt (as in 内疚). Visually, 甘 has stacked horizontals, 乞 has a bent stroke, and 久 has a curved hook.

疳 is a traditional Chinese medical term for a childhood malnutrition syndrome, often called 疳积. It is not common in daily speech but appears in classical medicine texts, pediatric discussions, or historical contexts. Modern usage is mostly confined to specialized health literature.

Common words containing 疳 include: 疳积 (gān jī) — infantile malnutrition; 疳疮 (gān chuāng) — syphilitic sore; 走马疳 (zǒu mǎ gān) — Noma (a gangrenous mouth disease)..