godan verb (-mu), intransitive verb
fall ill; be ill
Intransitive use for becoming or being ill. Compared with 病気になる, it often sounds more written, serious, or reflective.
祖父は晩年、長く病んでいた。
My grandfather was ill for a long time in his later years.
godan verb (-mu), transitive verb
Transitive use with a disease or body part as the object, as in 肺を病む or 胃を病む. It is less everyday than 病気になる and often implies a lingering or serious condition.
彼は若いころに肺を病んだ。
He suffered from a lung illness when he was young.
godan verb (-mu), transitive verb
be depressed; feel mentally unwell; have mental health issues
Colloquial mental-health use, often seen in forms such as メンタルを病む or 病んでいる. It can sound casual or blunt, so use care when talking about someone else's mental health.
仕事のストレスで、彼はメンタルを病んでしまった。
The stress from work left him mentally unwell.
最近、少し病んでいる気がする。
I feel like I've been a bit depressed lately.