muti

muti — 名詞

1. a substance given to a sick person to help them feel better — used in South Afri

1.名詞C1
釋義

藥物

治療疾病的藥品

a substance given to a sick person to help them feel better — used in South African English as a general word for any kind of medicine, without specifying whether it comes from a clinic or from traditional sources.

例句

Roya went to the clinic to get some muti for her daughter's fever.

Roya 去診所拿了一些藥物給發燒的女兒。

get + muti + for + illness

The nurse gave Camila a bottle of muti and told her to rest.

護士給了 Camila 一瓶藥，並囑咐她要休息。

give + someone + a bottle of + muti

同義詞
  • medicine

    the standard international term; muti is the South African equivalent

  • medication

    more formal, typically refers to pharmaceutical drugs prescribed by a doctor

  • remedy

    can cover both medical and natural treatments, often suggests a solution for a specific problem

文法句型

muti + for + illness/symptom

take + muti

give + someone + muti

用法筆記

Uncountable when referring to medicine in general ('take muti', 'need muti'). Countable when referring to a specific type or individual preparation: 'a muti for stomach aches', 'several mutis from the healer'.

常見錯誤

❌I bought muti at a pharmacy in New York.
✅I bought medicine at a pharmacy in New York.
💡Muti is a South African term; use 'medicine' in international English contexts where listeners may not know the word.
❌The healer gave me muti, so I took two pills with water.
✅The healer gave me muti made from herbs, while the clinic doctor gave me pills.
💡In South African English, 'muti' usually refers to traditional or herbal preparations, not pharmaceutical tablets.

2. traditional African treatments or ritual objects, prepared from plants, animal p

2.名詞C1
釋義

巫藥；靈藥

非洲傳統醫療用品或法器

traditional African treatments or ritual objects, prepared from plants, animal parts, or other natural materials, and often believed to have healing powers or spiritual properties — for example, a bark mixture taken for pain, or a charm worn for protection against harm.

例句

Sofie's grandmother crushed tree bark and roots to prepare traditional muti for the sick child.

Sofie 的祖母搗碎樹皮和樹根，為生病的孩子準備傳統巫藥。

prepare + traditional muti + from plant materials

The healer gave Sirin a small cloth bag of muti to wear around her neck for protection.

治療師給了 Sirin 一小袋巫藥，讓她掛在脖子上以保平安。

muti + for + protection (purpose)

同義詞
  • traditional medicine

    a broader, more neutral term covering all types of culturally specific healing practices

  • herbal remedy

    focuses on plant-based preparations, but does not include the spiritual or ritual dimension of muti

  • charm

    captures the protective or magical aspect of some kinds of muti, but lacks the medicinal side

  • talisman

    specifically an object believed to bring luck or protection; not used for medicines taken internally

文法句型

prepare + muti

muti + from + plant/animal + material

muti + for + purpose (protection/healing)

traditional + muti

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1 (GENERAL MEDICINE): sense 2 specifically refers to traditional African healing practices, often with spiritual or ritual associations. The term may carry neutral, respectful, or occasionally negative connotations depending on context and speaker — be aware that in non-South African English the word is sometimes associated with sensationalized reports of 'muti killings'.

常見錯誤

❌I bought traditional muti for my cold at the pharmacy.
✅I bought traditional muti from the herbalist for my cold.
💡Muti (sense 2) is obtained from a traditional healer or herbalist, not a regular pharmacy.