The words ill and sick are very similar in meaning, but are used in slightly different ways. Ill is generally not used before a noun, and can be used in verbal expressions such as fall ill and be taken ill. He fell ill shortly before Christmas... One of the jury members was taken ill. Sick is often used before a noun. ...sick children. In British English, ill is a slightly more polite, less direct word than sick. Sick often suggests the actual physical feeling of being ill, for example nausea or vomiting. I spent the next 24 hours in bed, groaning and being sick. In American English, sick is often used where British people would say ill. Some people get hurt in accidents or get sick.

ill 与 sick 意思相近，用法稍有差别。ill 通常不用在名词前，而用在动词词组中，如 fall ill (病倒)，be taken ill (生病)：He fell ill shortly before Christmas（临近圣诞节时他病倒了), One of the jury members was taken ill (一名陪审团成员病了)。sick 常用在名词前：sick children (生病的孩子)。英国英语中，ill 较 sick 稍显委婉。sick 常指生病时身体的实际感觉，例如感到恶心或呕吐：I spent the next 24 hours in bed, groaning and being sick (接下来的 24 小时我都躺在床上，呻吟着，感到一阵阵恶心)。英国人用ill的场合美国英语往往用sick：Some people get hurt in accidents or get sick (有些人在事故中受伤，或者患了病）。