Health & Hospital

1. 我头疼

   Wǒ tóu téng

   I have a headache

   Usage

   Used to describe a headache to a doctor or pharmacist

   Grammar Note

   "Body part + 疼/痛" expresses pain. "我肚子疼" = stomachache, "我牙疼" = toothache.

2. 请带我去医院

   Qǐng dài wǒ qù yī yuàn

   Please take me to the hospital

   Usage

   Used in emergencies or when ill to request help getting to a hospital

   Grammar Note

   In emergencies, also useful: "叫救护车 (Jiào jiùhùchē)" = Please call an ambulance.

3. 我发烧了

   Wǒ fā shāo le

   I have a fever

   Usage

   Used to inform a doctor or others that you have a fever

   Grammar Note

   "了" marks a change of state. For specifics: "我发烧38度" = I have a 38°C fever.

4. 我对花生过敏

   Wǒ duì huāshēng guòmǐn

   I am allergic to peanuts

   Usage

   Used to inform a restaurant or doctor about a food allergy

   Grammar Note

   "我对～过敏" structure expresses allergies. Replace "花生" with "海鲜" (seafood) or "乳制品" (dairy) as needed.

5. 这里有药店吗？

   Zhèlǐ yǒu yàodiàn ma?

   Is there a pharmacy nearby?

   Usage

   Used to locate a nearby pharmacy when medicine is needed

   Grammar Note

   Adding "吗" at the end turns a statement into a question. Both "药店" and "药房" are used for pharmacy in China.

6. 我需要看医生

   Wǒ xūyào kàn yīshēng

   I need to see a doctor

   Usage

   Used to inform hotel staff or others that you need medical attention

   Grammar Note

   "看医生" is an idiomatic expression for visiting a doctor. "看病 (kàn bìng)" carries the same meaning.

7. 我感觉恶心

   Wǒ gǎnjué ěxīn

   I feel nauseous

   Usage

   Used to describe nausea to a doctor or medical staff

   Grammar Note

   "恶心" means feeling sick or nauseous. "我想吐 (Wǒ xiǎng tù)" (I feel like vomiting) is a more direct alternative.

8. 有会说英语的医生吗？

   Yǒu huì shuō Yīngyǔ de yīshēng ma?

   Is there a doctor who speaks English?

   Usage

   Used by foreigners at Chinese hospitals to ask for an English-speaking doctor

   Grammar Note

   "会 + verb" expresses ability/skill. Replace "英语" with "日语 (Rìyǔ)" for Japanese or other languages as needed.

9. 我拉肚子了

   Wǒ lā dùzi le

   I have diarrhea

   Usage

   Used to describe gastrointestinal symptoms to a doctor

   Grammar Note

   "拉肚子" is a colloquial expression. In formal/medical contexts, "腹泻 (fùxiè)" (diarrhea) is the clinical term.

10. 请给我开处方

    Qǐng gěi wǒ kāi chǔfāng

    Please write me a prescription

    Usage

    Politely requests a prescription from a doctor after a medical examination

    Grammar Note

    "开处方" means to write/issue a prescription. "开药方 (kāi yàofāng)" is an equivalent expression.

11. 怀孕

    Huáiyùn

    Pregnant

    Usage

    Show before any exam — it changes what medicine, X-rays, or anesthesia are safe

12. 哮喘

    Xiàochuǎn

    Asthma

    Usage

    Tells a doctor or pharmacist you have asthma

13. 糖尿病

    Tángniàobìng

    Diabetes

    Usage

    States diabetes as a pre-existing condition; also used to explain dietary limits

14. 高血压

    Gāoxuèyā

    High blood pressure

    Usage

    States high blood pressure as a pre-existing condition

15. 心脏病

    Xīnzàngbìng

    Heart disease

    Usage

    States a heart condition to medical staff

16. 癫痫

    Diānxián

    Epilepsy

    Usage

    Warns staff in advance that a seizure is possible

17. 医疗保险

    Yīliáo bǎoxiǎn

    Medical insurance

    Usage

    Shown at reception about insurance coverage; "bǎoxiǎn" alone can also mean "safe", so "yīliáo" pins it to insurance

18. 骨折

    Gǔzhé

    Bone fracture

    Usage

    Says you may have broken a bone

19. 呼吸困难

    Hūxī kùnnan

    Difficulty breathing

    Usage

    Point to this when you cannot spare the breath to speak

20. 头晕

    Tóuyūn

    Dizziness

    Usage

    Reports dizziness or light-headedness

21. 出血

    Chūxuè

    Bleeding

    Usage

    Reports that you are bleeding

22. 烫伤

    Tàngshāng

    Burn (scald)

    Usage

    A burn from hot liquid or a hot object; a burn from fire is "shāoshāng"

23. 伤口

    Shāngkǒu

    Wound, cut

    Usage

    Refers to a cut or open wound

24. 耳朵

    Ěrduo

    Ear

    Usage

    Points out the ear as the part that hurts

25. 脖子

    Bózi

    Neck

    Usage

    Points out the neck as the part that hurts

26. 肩膀

    Jiānbǎng

    Shoulder

    Usage

    Points out the shoulder as the part that hurts

27. 膝盖

    Xīgài

    Knee

    Usage

    Points out the knee as the part that hurts

28. 手指

    Shǒuzhǐ

    Finger

    Usage

    Finger specifically — a toe is "jiǎozhǐ", a separate word

29. 皮肤

    Pífū

    Skin

    Usage

    Used when describing a skin problem such as a rash

30. 胳膊

    Gēbo

    Arm

    Usage

    Points out the arm as the part that hurts

31. 鼻子

    Bízi

    Nose

    Usage

    Used for a blocked nose, nosebleed, or other nasal symptom

32. 咳嗽

    Késou

    Cough

    Usage

    Reports a cough at a pharmacy or clinic

33. 痒

    Yǎng

    Itchy

    Usage

    Reports itching

34. 皮疹

    Pízhěn

    Rash

    Usage

    Reports a rash on the skin

35. 便秘

    Biànmì

    Constipation

    Usage

    Also used when asking a pharmacy for a remedy

36. 月经

    Yuèjīng

    Menstruation, period

    Usage

    "Yuèjīng" is the standard term in Chinese both medically and in daily speech; "lìjià" is the euphemism

37. 血型

    Xuèxíng

    Blood type

    Usage

    Asked before a transfusion or surgery; show your own type ("A型", "B型", "O型", "AB型") after it

38. 诊断书

    Zhěnduànshū

    Medical certificate

    Usage

    A document certifying a doctor's diagnosis; show it when you need one for insurance or sick leave

39. 住院

    Zhùyuàn

    Hospital admission

    Usage

    A patient staying in hospital for treatment; discharge is "chūyuàn"

40. 发冷

    Fālěng

    Chills

    Usage

    Feeling cold as a symptom; the clinical terms are "hánzhàn" (shivering) and "wèihán"

41. 感冒

    Gǎnmào

    Common cold

    Usage

    An illness with inflamed airways, coughing, a blocked nose and fever; "wǒ gǎnmào le" means "I have caught a cold"

42. 请帮我叫医生

    Qǐng bāng wǒ jiào yīshēng

    Please call a doctor

    Usage

    Ask people nearby to fetch a doctor when someone is taken ill

    Grammar Note

    Same "请帮我叫…" frame as "请帮我叫出租车" (please call me a taxi) and "请帮我叫醒服务" (please arrange a wake-up call), with "医生" as what is summoned.

43. 我身体不舒服

    Wǒ shēntǐ bù shūfu

    I feel sick

    Usage

    Say that you are unwell before going into specific symptoms

    Grammar Note

    Adds the subject "我" and "身体" to "不舒服" (unwell). "不舒服" covers everything from uncomfortable to ill.

44. 我没有力气

    Wǒ méiyǒu lìqi

    My body feels sluggish

    Usage

    Tell a doctor that you have no strength, from fever or exhaustion

    Grammar Note

    Same "我没有 + noun" frame as "我没有预约" (I have no reservation), with "预约" replaced by "力气". The written-register "全身无力" names the same state.

45. 我需要静养吗？

    Wǒ xūyào jìngyǎng ma?

    Do I need to rest?

    Usage

    Ask the doctor after an examination whether you need to rest

    Grammar Note

    Same "我需要…" frame as "我需要看医生" (I need to see a doctor), closed with the question particle "吗？". "静养" is the verb for resting in order to recover.

46. 腹泻

    Fùxiè

    Diarrhea

    Usage

    The name of the symptom, which you can point to for a doctor or pharmacist. Colloquially also "拉肚子"

47. 便便

    Biànbian

    Poop

    Usage

    A plain everyday word, leaning toward child talk, easy to say to a child or at a check-up. Medical or formal settings use "大便"

48. 尿尿

    Niàoniào

    Pee

    Usage

    A plain everyday word, leaning toward child talk, easy to say to a child or at a check-up. Medical or formal settings use "小便" or "排尿"

49. 我便秘了

    Wǒ biànmì le

    I'm constipated

    Usage

    Tell a doctor or pharmacist that you are constipated

    Grammar Note

    "便秘" works as a noun or a verb. "了" marks the change of state, "have become constipated (and still am)". It is the same frame as "我拉肚子了"

50. 我想尿尿

    Wǒ xiǎng niàoniào

    I need to pee

    Usage

    A plain way to tell a companion or a child that you need the toilet

    Grammar Note

    "我想 + verb" means "I want to ...". "尿尿" is a verb in a colloquial, child-leaning register. In more formal settings or among adults one can also say "我想小便" or "我想上厕所"

51. 我想拉便便

    Wǒ xiǎng lā biànbian

    I need to poop

    Usage

    A plain way to tell a companion or a child that you need the toilet for a bowel movement

    Grammar Note

    The "我想 + verb" frame. "拉" is the same verb of passing waste as in "拉肚子" (to have diarrhea). The register leans toward child talk; in formal settings or among adults one can also say "我想大便" or "我想上厕所"

Browse all TravelPhrases languages