Going to the hospital can be unpleasant. Not knowing how to communicate your illness makes it that much worse! Make sure you know these Chinese phrases to convey your problems properly. It might just save your life.
Get familiar with the following dialogue to learn how to get diagnosed for the flu and get prepared for what could happen next. If you are deathly afraid of needles you should know how to listen for the word “打针 (dǎzhēn) have an injection.” It would be convenient for the hospital staff to know this ahead of time. You wouldn’t want to pass out without warning.
Yīshēng: Nǐ juédé zěnyàng?
医生: 你觉得怎样？
Doctor: How are you feeling?
Bob: Wǒ liú bítì, tóuyūn.
Bob: 我流鼻涕，头晕。
Bob: I’ve got a runny nose and I feel dizzy.
Yīshēng: Nǐ zhèyàng duōjiǔ le?
医生: 你这样多久了？
Doctor: How long have you been like this?
Bob: Dàgài yǒu sān tiān le.
Bob: 大概有三天了。
Bob: Maybe for three days.
Yīshēng: Nǐ dùzi tòng ma?
医生: 你肚子痛吗？
Doctor: Do you have a stomachache?
Bob: Ǒu’ěr huì tòng.
Bob: 偶尔会痛。
Bob: It occasionally hurts.
Yīshēng: Nǐ shì dé le liúgǎn, nǐ děi dǎzhēn.
医生: 你是得了流感，你得打针。
Doctor: You’ve got the flu. You need a shot.
Bob: Zhēn de yào dǎzhēn ma? Wǒ yǒu xiē hàipà.
Bob: 真的要打针吗？我有些害怕。
Bob: Do I have to? I am a little scared.
Yīshēng: Búyòng dānxīn, nǐ hěn kuài huì hǎo qǐlái de.
医生: 不用担心，你很快会好起来的。
Doctor: Don’t worry, you will get better soon.
If you are ill, usually the first thing the doctor will do is take your temperature. Once all of the symptoms have been examined your diagnosis will be followed up with instructions. Being sick makes it hard to focus but it’s important.
What if your doctor gives you 3 blue pills, 5 white ones, and 2 large green tablets? Taking medicine once you’ve been diagnosed can be tricky. For example, some pills you must take with food while other medicines you must not drive a car. This dialogue will come in handy for following your doctors orders.
Yīshēng: Nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu ne?
医生: 你哪里不舒服呢？
Doctor: What’s the trouble?
Mary: Wǒ tóuténg, érqiě késòu de lìhài.
Mary: 我头疼，而且咳嗽得厉害。
Mary: I’ve got a headache and a bad cough.
Yīshēng: Nǐ liáng guò tǐwēn le ma?
医生: 你量过体温了吗？
Doctor: Have you taken your temperature?
Mary: Wǒ liáng guò le, sānshíjiǔ dù’èr. Wǒ fāshāo le.
Mary: 我量过了，三十九度二。我发烧了。
Mary: Yes, thirty-nine point two. I had a fever.
Yīshēng: Nǐ dé le liúgǎn.
医生: 你得了流感。
Doctor: You’ve got the flu.
Mary: Wǒ yīnggāi zěnmebàn ne?
Mary: 我应该怎么办呢？
Mary: What should I do?
Yīshēng: Zhè yào yìtiān chī sāncì, měi cì liǎng lì. Duō hē shuǐ, zàijiā xiūxi jǐtiān.
医生: 这药一天吃三次，每次两粒。你多喝水，在家休息几天。
Doctor: Take this medicine three times a day, two each time. Remember to drink plenty of water, stay at home for a few days.
Mary: Fēicháng gǎnxiè.
Mary: 非常感谢。
Mary: Thank you very much.
While traveling “survival phrases” come in handy. While we all hope to stay healthy
it’s best to study these useful vocabulary words in case a hospital visit is necessary.
医生 (Yīshēng): doctor.
舒服 (Shūfu): to be well.
流鼻涕 (Liú bítì): run at the nose.
头晕 (Tóuyūn): feel dizzy.
肚子 (Dùzi): stomach.
疼 (Téng): pain; ache.
痛 (Tòng): pain; ache.
打针 (Dǎzhēn): have an injection.
咳嗽 (Késòu): cough.
发烧 (Fāshāo): have a fever.
体温 (Tǐwēn): temperature.
检查 (Jiǎnchá): examine; check.
A. fever
B. cough
C. flu
Julia Liu teaches Chinese with eChineseLearning. She has been successfully teaching for 5 years and loves reading and practices her passion of drawing in her free time.
● If You Need to Go to the Emergency Room
● I Am Sick (Beginner)
● 看病挂号 Registration in a Hospital (Intermediate)
HSK Test
General Chinese (Beginner Level)
General Chinese (Intermediate Level)