<p>Literally, "Fang" means "square". "Cang" means "cabin". So it just means square cabin hospital. The Chinese Army call it this name just for imaginary and brevity.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T12:02:06.467Z
2020-04-06T12:02:06.467Z
X.M.Du
<p>方舱医院 = field hospital.  The London Edexcel Hospital (the temporary one made in the previous exhibition centre/olympics venue) is called, in Mandarin news reports, a 方舱医院。 so in current usage, i'd say &quot;field hospital&quot; is the best translation; (it's not made of square modular cabins, and it's not military, so i would drop the &quot;military&quot; out of our usual phrase of a military field hospital.)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T23:51:51.663Z
field hospital  is translated as 野战医院. they can be  just a bunch of  tents. 方舱医院 is a kind of field hospital , but it is more specific on how it is constructed
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-20T07:10:03.410Z
2020-06-20T07:10:03.410Z
George Norris
<p><strong>Edit:</strong> </p>

<p>After reading fefe's comment, I did more search and found this <a href="https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%96%B9%E8%88%B1%E5%8C%BB%E9%99%A2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">方舱医院是什么</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>方舱医院是以<strong>医疗方舱</strong>为载体，医疗与医技保障功能综合集成的可快速部署的成套野外移动医疗平台</p>
</blockquote>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/NoNHL.jpg" rel="nofollow noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/NoNHL.jpg" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>So  "方舱" is obviously referring to those rectangular mobile units. </p>

<p>方舱医院 should be translated as "mobile cabins hospital"</p>

<p>As for the relationship between 方 and 方舟, may just be a coincidence </p>

<p>It is easy for people who never heard of 方舱 to link  方 with 方舟, due to the current crisis. If 方舱医院 didn't exist before this pandemic, my previous theory would be a fitting one</p>

<p>Previous theory: </p>

<p><em>"Noah's Ark" in Chinese is 「諾亞方舟」 or 「方舟」 (literally mean 'square ship')
「方艙」(Fangcang)  is made up of 「方舟」and 「艙」(cabin)
"Fangcang hospital" literally mean "Cabins of Noah's Ark hospital"
We all know what the term 'Noah's Ark' implies</em> </p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T12:46:41.310Z
Do you have a source that show this theory?
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T12:48:04.957Z
「方艙」 is mentioned here http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/232108/2020/0207/413521.html. Notice 艙 Radical is 舟, Which mean 艙 is referring to ship cabin
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T12:50:56.747Z
I mean, the link between 方舱 and 诺亚方舟
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T12:52:07.753Z
Notice 艙 Radical is 舟, Which mean 艙 is originally referring to ship cabin
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T12:58:06.863Z
That is true for the character 舱, for that does not mean "方舱" has anything to do with "诺亚方舟".  I never heard that "方舱" originated from "诺亚方舟", and didn't find anything with a search on the internet.
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T12:59:30.920Z
What does "square" have to do with the current crisis? 方舟 certainly does. If square is referring to the shape of the hospital. it would be called 正方形医院
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T13:05:06.987Z
Several articles mention that the word "方舱" existed before this crisis. But as it was used in limited areas (e.g. military), most people never heard of it.
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T13:11:01.100Z
May be military use  the term "方舱" because 方舟 is related to 'emergency, shelter, isolation, doomsday event etc.'  While "正方形船舱医院" doesn't  has any obvious implications. If we don't have the current crisis, I might not think of 方 referring to 方舟
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T13:18:20.643Z
It seems that "方舱" is not limited to be used for hospitals. It has a lot of other use in the military. [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20160919151729/http://www.jixiezb.com.cn/news/hyzl/87023.html) a lot of different 方舱 are listed: "军、民用方舱、防弹方舱、通讯方舱、移动方舱、监测方舱、气象方舱、医疗方舱"
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T13:19:50.237Z
I found no source that says 方舱 was originally used for medical purposes.
fefe
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T13:38:44.923Z
You are right, see the edition in my answer
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T13:50:14.953Z
BTW, 方舱 does also serve medical purposes
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T14:05:48.570Z
@Tang Ho. If your Noah"s Ark connection theory was actually at the back of the minds of the people who named the hospital, it wouldn't surprise anyone since the Coronavirus was transmitted from animals to humans; then just think of all those animals on Noah's Ark?. I think your theory has a better ring to it than the plain old unimaginative "Square Cabin Hospital" How all the bright minds over at the Medical Stack couldn't make the Ark connection is surprising. :)
Wayne Cheah
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-04-06T04:14:22.963Z
2020-04-06T14:27:06.270Z
2020-04-06T14:27:06.270Z
Tang Ho
<p>What does "Fangcang" literally mean in "Fangcang hospital" where China <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/22/asia/china-coronavirus-roundup-intl-hnk/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">relocated</a> those infected with Covid-19, but who had only mild (or no) symptoms?</p>

<p>Somewhat "close but no cigar", a <em>Lancet</em> <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30744-3/fulltext" rel="nofollow noreferrer">paper</a> explains</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The term Fangcang, which sounds similar to Noah's Ark in Chinese, was borrowed from military field hospitals [...]</p>
</blockquote>

<p>But it's still not clear to me what the word actually means.</p>

<terminology>
What does "Fangcang [hospital]" mean?
# What does "Fangcang [hospital]" mean?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-04-06)

What does "Fangcang" literally mean in "Fangcang hospital" where China [relocated](https://edition.cnn.com/2020/02/22/asia/china-coronavirus-roundup-intl-hnk/index.html) those infected with Covid-19, but who had only mild (or no) symptoms?

Somewhat "close but no cigar", a *Lancet* [paper](https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(20)30744-3/fulltext) explains

> The term Fangcang, which sounds similar to Noah's Ark in Chinese, was borrowed from military field hospitals [...]

But it's still not clear to me what the word actually means.

**Tags:** terminology


---

## 3 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2020-04-06. Score: 7 | Accepted answer

**Edit:**

After reading username_4's comment, I did more search and found this [方舱医院是什么](https://baike.baidu.com/item/%E6%96%B9%E8%88%B1%E5%8C%BB%E9%99%A2)

> 方舱医院是以**医疗方舱**为载体，医疗与医技保障功能综合集成的可快速部署的成套野外移动医疗平台

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/NoNHL.jpg)](https://i.sstatic.net/NoNHL.jpg)

So "方舱" is obviously referring to those rectangular mobile units.

方舱医院 should be translated as "mobile cabins hospital"

As for the relationship between 方 and 方舟, may just be a coincidence

It is easy for people who never heard of 方舱 to link 方 with 方舟, due to the current crisis. If 方舱医院 didn't exist before this pandemic, my previous theory would be a fitting one

Previous theory:

*"Noah's Ark" in Chinese is 「諾亞方舟」 or 「方舟」 (literally mean 'square ship')
「方艙」(Fangcang) is made up of 「方舟」and 「艙」(cabin)
"Fangcang hospital" literally mean "Cabins of Noah's Ark hospital"
We all know what the term 'Noah's Ark' implies*

> **Comments:**
> **username_4**: Do you have a source that show this theory?  
> **username_3**: 「方艙」 is mentioned here http://www.takungpao.com.hk/news/232108/2020/0207/413521.html. Notice 艙 Radical is 舟, Which mean 艙 is referring to ship cabin  
> **username_4**: I mean, the link between 方舱 and 诺亚方舟  
> **username_3**: Notice 艙 Radical is 舟, Which mean 艙 is originally referring to ship cabin  
> **username_4**: That is true for the character 舱, for that does not mean "方舱" has anything to do with "诺亚方舟".  I never heard that "方舱" originated from "诺亚方舟", and didn't find anything with a search on the internet.  
> **username_3**: What does "square" have to do with the current crisis? 方舟 certainly does. If square is referring to the shape of the hospital. it would be called 正方形医院  
> **username_4**: Several articles mention that the word "方舱" existed before this crisis. But as it was used in limited areas (e.g. military), most people never heard of it.  
> **username_3**: May be military use  the term "方舱" because 方舟 is related to 'emergency, shelter, isolation, doomsday event etc.'  While "正方形船舱医院" doesn't  has any obvious implications. If we don't have the current crisis, I might not think of 方 referring to 方舟  
> **username_4**: It seems that "方舱" is not limited to be used for hospitals. It has a lot of other use in the military. [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20160919151729/http://www.jixiezb.com.cn/news/hyzl/87023.html) a lot of different 方舱 are listed: "军、民用方舱、防弹方舱、通讯方舱、移动方舱、监测方舱、气象方舱、医疗方舱"  
> **username_4**: I found no source that says 方舱 was originally used for medical purposes.  
> **username_3**: You are right, see the edition in my answer  
> **username_3**: BTW, 方舱 does also serve medical purposes  
> **username_5**: @username_3. If your Noah"s Ark connection theory was actually at the back of the minds of the people who named the hospital, it wouldn't surprise anyone since the Coronavirus was transmitted from animals to humans; then just think of all those animals on Noah's Ark?. I think your theory has a better ring to it than the plain old unimaginative "Square Cabin Hospital" How all the bright minds over at the Medical Stack couldn't make the Ark connection is surprising. :)  

---

### Answer by username_1 on 2020-04-06. Score: 2

Literally, "Fang" means "square". "Cang" means "cabin". So it just means square cabin hospital. The Chinese Army call it this name just for imaginary and brevity.


---

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-06-20. Score: 1

方舱医院 = field hospital. The London Edexcel Hospital (the temporary one made in the previous exhibition centre/olympics venue) is called, in Mandarin news reports, a 方舱医院。 so in current usage, i'd say "field hospital" is the best translation; (it's not made of square modular cabins, and it's not military, so i would drop the "military" out of our usual phrase of a military field hospital.)

> **Comments:**
> **username_3**: field hospital  is translated as 野战医院. they can be  just a bunch of  tents. 方舱医院 is a kind of field hospital , but it is more specific on how it is constructed  

---

