At the Doctor
intermediate看医生
Describe symptoms, understand diagnoses, and navigate healthcare in Chinese — from common colds to emergencies.
49 words15 phrases2 dialogues~30 min study time
Vocabulary
49 words — click any row for an example sentence
Symptoms
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 头疼 | tóuténg | headache | noun |
| 发烧 | fāshāo | to have a fever | verb |
| 感冒 | gǎnmào | cold; to catch a cold | noun |
| 咳嗽 | késou | to cough; a cough | verb |
| 肚子疼 | dùzi téng | stomachache | phrase |
| 过敏 | guòmǐn | allergy; to be allergic | noun |
| 拉肚子 | lā dùzi | to have diarrhea | verb |
| 恶心 | ěxīn | nauseous; to feel nauseous | adjective |
| 呕吐 | ǒutù | to vomit | verb |
| 头晕 | tóuyūn | dizzy; dizziness | adjective |
| 流鼻涕 | liú bítì | to have a runny nose | verb |
| 嗓子疼 | sǎngzi téng | sore throat | phrase |
Body Parts
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 头 | tóu | head | noun |
| 眼睛 | yǎnjing | eye | noun |
| 耳朵 | ěrduo | ear | noun |
| 鼻子 | bízi | nose | noun |
| 嘴巴 | zuǐba | mouth | noun |
| 牙齿 | yáchǐ | tooth; teeth | noun |
| 胃 | wèi | stomach | noun |
| 心脏 | xīnzàng | heart (organ) | noun |
| 肺 | fèi | lung | noun |
| 骨头 | gǔtou | bone | noun |
Medical Facility
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 医院 | yīyuàn | hospital | noun |
| 诊所 | zhěnsuǒ | clinic | noun |
| 挂号 | guàhào | to register (at a hospital) | verb |
| 门诊 | ménzhěn | outpatient department | noun |
| 急诊 | jízhěn | emergency department | noun |
| 病房 | bìngfáng | hospital ward | noun |
| 药房 | yàofáng | pharmacy | noun |
| 医生 | yīshēng | doctor | noun |
| 护士 | hùshi | nurse | noun |
| 检查 | jiǎnchá | to examine; examination | verb |
Treatment
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 药 | yào | medicine; drug | noun |
| 处方 | chǔfāng | prescription | noun |
| 打针 | dǎ zhēn | to give/receive an injection | verb |
| 输液 | shūyè | to receive an IV drip | verb |
| 手术 | shǒushù | surgery; operation | noun |
| 住院 | zhùyuàn | to be hospitalized | verb |
| 吃药 | chī yào | to take medicine | verb |
| 休息 | xiūxi | to rest | verb |
| 量体温 | liáng tǐwēn | to take one's temperature | verb |
| 验血 | yàn xiě | to have a blood test | verb |
Insurance/Admin
| Chinese | Pinyin | English | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 医保 | yībǎo | medical insurance (government) | noun |
| 保险 | bǎoxiǎn | insurance | noun |
| 费用 | fèiyòng | fee; cost; expense | noun |
| 挂号费 | guàhàofèi | registration fee | noun |
| 病历 | bìnglì | medical record | noun |
| 预约 | yùyuē | to make an appointment | verb |
| 排队 | páiduì | to queue; to line up | verb |
Key Phrases
Essential expressions
我哪里不舒服？
Wǒ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?
Where do I feel uncomfortable?
A doctor asking a patient to describe their symptoms.
我想挂内科。
Wǒ xiǎng guà nèikē.
I would like to register for internal medicine.
Telling the registration desk which department you need.
我感冒了，还有点发烧。
Wǒ gǎnmào le, hái yǒudiǎn fāshāo.
I have a cold and a slight fever.
Describing common cold symptoms to a doctor.
您哪里不舒服？
Nín nǎlǐ bù shūfu?
Where are you feeling unwell?
A standard opening question from a doctor to a patient.
请张开嘴巴说"啊"。
Qǐng zhāngkāi zuǐba shuō "ā".
Please open your mouth and say "ah."
A doctor examining a patient's throat.
我对青霉素过敏。
Wǒ duì qīngméisù guòmǐn.
I am allergic to penicillin.
Informing a doctor or pharmacist about a drug allergy.
这个药饭后吃还是饭前吃？
Zhège yào fàn hòu chī háishi fàn qián chī?
Should I take this medicine after meals or before meals?
Asking the pharmacist about the correct way to take medicine.
需要做进一步检查吗？
Xūyào zuò jìnyíbù jiǎnchá ma?
Do I need further tests?
Asking the doctor whether additional tests are necessary.
我已经不舒服三天了。
Wǒ yǐjīng bù shūfu sān tiān le.
I have been feeling unwell for three days.
Telling the doctor how long symptoms have lasted.
可以帮我开点感冒药吗？
Kěyǐ bāng wǒ kāi diǎn gǎnmào yào ma?
Could you prescribe me some cold medicine?
Requesting a specific type of medicine from the doctor.
我需要请病假。
Wǒ xūyào qǐng bìngjià.
I need to take sick leave.
Asking the doctor for a sick-leave note.
多喝热水，好好休息。
Duō hē rè shuǐ, hǎohāo xiūxi.
Drink more hot water and get plenty of rest.
Very common advice in Chinese culture when someone is sick.
我的医保卡在这里。
Wǒ de yībǎo kǎ zài zhèlǐ.
Here is my medical insurance card.
Presenting your insurance card at the registration desk.
问题不大，吃点药就好了。
Wèntí bú dà, chī diǎn yào jiù hǎo le.
It is nothing serious — just take some medicine and you will be fine.
A doctor reassuring the patient that the condition is minor.
请问药房在哪里？
Qǐngwèn yàofáng zài nǎlǐ?
Excuse me, where is the pharmacy?
Asking for directions inside the hospital.
Dialogues
Practice conversations
Seeing the Doctor
A patient goes to see a doctor at a hospital outpatient department because of cold symptoms.
Speaker A
您好，请坐。您哪里不舒服？
Speaker B
医生您好，我这两天一直头疼、流鼻涕，还有点咳嗽。
Speaker A
有没有发烧？
Speaker B
昨天晚上量了一下，三十七度八。
Speaker A
来，张开嘴巴，让我看一下嗓子。嗓子有点红。
Speaker B
严重吗？
Speaker A
不严重，就是普通感冒。我给你开点药，回去多喝水，多休息。
Speaker B
好的，谢谢医生。处方在哪里取药？
Cultural note: In Chinese hospitals, patients typically go through a registration process (挂号) first, then wait in a queue to see the doctor in a shared office. Doctors see many patients per day and consultations are often brief. Asking "严重吗？" (Is it serious?) is one of the most common patient questions.
At the Pharmacy
After visiting the doctor, the patient goes to the hospital pharmacy to pick up the prescribed medicine.
Speaker A
你好，这是我的处方，请帮我取药。
Speaker B
好的，请稍等。一共三种药，总共四十五块。
Speaker A
可以用医保卡吗？
Speaker B
可以的。刷卡以后自己只需要付十五块。
Speaker A
好的。请问这些药怎么吃？
Speaker B
这个感冒药一天三次，每次两片，饭后吃。这个止咳糖浆每次喝十毫升。
Cultural note: Chinese hospital pharmacies are usually located inside the hospital itself. Patients take the prescription from the doctor directly to the pharmacy window. The pharmacist will often explain dosage instructions. Many common medicines in China are very affordable, and government medical insurance (医保) covers a significant portion of the cost.
Cultural Notes
Context that textbooks miss
Test Yourself
8 questions covering vocabulary, phrases, and dialogue comprehension.
Take the At the Doctor Quiz (8 questions)→HSK Level Overlap
47 of 49 words appear in HSK levels
Further Reading
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