If you don’t speak the language, visiting a hospital in another nation can be frightening. Communication with medical professionals in Chinese hospitals can be challenging if you don’t speak Mandarin Chinese, and hospitals can be busy and complex. A visit to a hospital in China will go much more smoothly and less stressful if you know a few basic Chinese terms and phrases.
Common Diseases in Chinese
感冒 (gǎn mào) – common cold
肺炎 (fèi yán) – pneumonia
腹泻 (fù xiè) – diarrhea
高血压 (gāo xuè yā) – high blood pressure
糖尿病 (táng niào bìng) – diabetes
心脏病 (xīn zàng bìng) – heart disease
中风 (zhòng fēng) – stroke
癌症 (ái zhèng) – cancer
关节炎 (guān jié yán) – arthritis
肝炎 (gān yán) – hepatitis
鼻炎 (bí yán) – rhinitis
胃炎 (wèi yán) – gastritis
哮喘 (xiào chuǎn) – asthma
失眠 (shī mián) – insomnia
抑郁症 (yì yù zhèng) – depression
Common departments in a hospital
急诊科 (jí zhěn kē) – emergency department
内科 (nèi kē) – internal medicine department
外科 (wài kē) – surgical department
妇产科 (fù chǎn kē) – obstetrics and gynecology department
儿科 (ér kē) – pediatric department
耳鼻喉科 (ěr bí hóu kē) – ear, nose, and throat department
眼科 (yǎn kē) – ophthalmology department
口腔科 (kǒu qiāng kē) – dental department
皮肤科 (pí fū kē) – dermatology department
神经内科 (shén jīng nèi kē) – neurology department
心血管内科 (xīn xuè guǎn nèi kē) – cardiology department
肿瘤科 (zhǒng liú kē) – oncology department
康复科 (kāng fù kē) – rehabilitation department
中医科 (zhōng yī kē) – traditional Chinese medicine department
感染科 (gǎn rǎn kē) – infectious diseases department
Common sentences for seeing a doctor in China
- 我有点儿头疼。(Wǒ yǒu diǎnr tóuténg.) – I have a slight headache.
- 我感觉不舒服。(Wǒ gǎnjué bù shūfú.) – I’m feeling uncomfortable.
- 我的嗓子疼。(Wǒ de sǎngzi téng.) – My throat hurts.
- 我想要挂号。(Wǒ xiǎng yào guàhào.) – I want to make an appointment.
- 我想看一下医生。(Wǒ xiǎng kàn yīxià yīshēng.) – I want to see a doctor.
- 我感觉发烧了。(Wǒ gǎnjué fāshāo le.) – I feel like I have a fever.
- 我有点儿咳嗽。(Wǒ yǒu diǎnr késòu.) – I have a slight cough.
- 我肚子疼。(Wǒ dùzi téng.) – My stomach hurts.
- 我想要开个病假条。(Wǒ xiǎng yào kāi gè bìngjià tiáo.) – I need a sick leave certificate.
- 我需要验血。(Wǒ xūyào yànxiě.) – I need to have a blood test.
- 我有皮肤过敏的问题。(Wǒ yǒu pífū guòmǐn de wèntí.) – I have a skin allergy problem.
- 我的眼睛有点儿不舒服。(Wǒ de yǎnjīng yǒudiǎnr bù shūfú.) – My eyes feel uncomfortable.
- 你能帮我开个处方吗？(Nǐ néng bāng wǒ kāi gè chǔfāng ma?) – Can you help me with a prescription?
It is important to remember that the procedure may differ depending on the hospital or clinic, and it is always a good idea to have a Chinese-speaking friend or interpreter with you if you need to speak Chinese fluently. You should also bring your medical documents since these aid the doctor in making an accurate diagnosis and providing appropriate treatment. Last but not least, remember to bring your insurance card to the hospital or clinic if you have health insurance.
Learn more about our SUMMER CAMP!
Get to know holidays in China in 2023.
Get free Chinese learning resources.
Read about the Spring Festival Celebration on NRK’s website: https://www.nrk.no/norge/harens-ar-1.16270652#top.
