How to Say “Food poisoning” in Chinese
Emergencies and health · HSK 4
"Food poisoning" in Chinese is 食物中毒 (Shíwù zhòngdú). 食物中毒 is the clinical term used at hospitals and on medical forms. In everyday speech, Chinese people often say 吃坏肚子了 (chī huài dùzi le, literally 'ate and broke my stomach') or 拉肚子 (lā dùzi, diarrhea); these are way more common at home.
Primary translation
食物中毒
Shíwù zhòngdú
Variants by register
Formal
我怀疑自己食物中毒了，需要看医生。
Wǒ huáiyí zìjǐ shíwù zhòngdú le, xūyào kàn yīshēng.
Casual
我吃坏肚子了。
Wǒ chī huài dùzi le.
When to use it
食物中毒 is the clinical term used at hospitals and on medical forms. In everyday speech, Chinese people often say 吃坏肚子了 (chī huài dùzi le, literally 'ate and broke my stomach') or 拉肚子 (lā dùzi, diarrhea); these are way more common at home. Note 中毒 uses zhòng (fourth tone) not zhōng; it means 'struck by poison,' not 'middle poison.' If you got sick from a restaurant, keep the 发票 and order record on 美团 or 饿了么; platforms will usually refund and pay medical costs. For severe cases go to 急诊 (jízhěn, emergency room), not a regular clinic.
Example sentences
我好像食物中毒了，一直在吐。
Wǒ hǎoxiàng shíwù zhòngdú le, yīzhí zài tù.
I think I have food poisoning, I keep throwing up.
昨天那家餐厅的海鲜让我吃坏肚子了。
Zuótiān nà jiā cāntīng de hǎixiān ràng wǒ chī huài dùzi le.
The seafood from that restaurant yesterday gave me food poisoning.
食物中毒症状严重的话，一定要去急诊。
Shíwù zhòngdú zhèngzhuàng yánzhòng dehuà, yīdìng yào qù jízhěn.
If food poisoning symptoms are severe, you must go to the ER.