慢慢學 mànmàn xuéTaiwan pharmacy and symptoms Mandarin phrases
Describe your symptoms, buy medicine or a band-aid at the pharmacy, and handle clinic basics — essential health Mandarin for expats in Taiwan, with pinyin and audio practice.
For anything minor, Taiwan's answer is the neighbourhood clinic — a zhěnsuǒ, often one doctor and one receptionist, usually walk-in, and frequently open in the evening. You register at the desk (guàhào) with your NHI card, wait for your number, see the doctor for a few minutes, and collect medicine on the way out, often from the same building.
Pharmacies (yàojú) handle everything below that threshold and the pharmacist will happily advise. The phrases that carry you through both are the symptom words — tóutòng, dùzi tòng, fāshāo, késòu — plus wǒ bù shūfú for the general 'I feel awful' and zhèlǐ tòng while pointing, which is more effective than any amount of vocabulary.
26 phrases for pharmacy & symptoms
| What you say | Pinyin | Characters |
|---|---|---|
| Pharmacy. | yàojú. | 藥局。 |
| I don't feel well. | wǒ bù shūfú. | 我不舒服。 |
| I have a cold. | wǒ gǎnmào le. | 我感冒了。 |
| Headache. | tóutòng. | 頭痛。 |
| Stomachache. | dùzi tòng. | 肚子痛。 |
| Sore throat. | hóulóng tòng. | 喉嚨痛。 |
| Fever. | fāshāo. | 發燒。 |
| Cough. | késòu. | 咳嗽。 |
| Allergy / allergic. | guòmǐn. | 過敏。 |
| Face mask. | kǒuzhào. | 口罩。 |
| Medicine. | yào. | 藥。 |
| Take medicine. | chī yào. | 吃藥。 |
| Three times a day. | yì tiān sān cì. | 一天三次。 |
| After meals. | fàn hòu. | 飯後。 |
| Clinic. | zhěnsuǒ. | 診所。 |
| Doctor. | yīshēng. | 醫生。 |
| Register / check in (at a clinic). | guàhào. | 掛號。 |
| NHI (health insurance) card. | jiànbǎokǎ. | 健保卡。 |
| Do you have cold medicine? | yǒu gǎnmào yào ma? | 有感冒藥嗎？ |
| Band-aid. (the Taiwan word) | OK bēng. | OK繃。 |
| Anti-itch ointment (for bug bites). | zhǐyǎng yàogāo. | 止癢藥膏。 |
| I'm allergic to … | wǒ duì … guòmǐn. | 我對……過敏。 |
| Get well soon! | zǎorì kāngfù! | 早日康復！ |
| Rest more, drink more water. (every doctor's advice) | duō xiūxí, duō hē shuǐ. | 多休息，多喝水。 |
| It hurts here. | zhèlǐ tòng. | 這裡痛。 |
What you'll hear back
The other half of the conversation — what the vendor, clerk or nurse says to you. Understanding these is usually harder than speaking.
| What they say | Pinyin | Characters |
|---|---|---|
| What's bothering you? | nǎlǐ bù shūfú? | 哪裡不舒服？ |
Questions people ask
Can I buy medicine without seeing a doctor?
Pharmacies sell over-the-counter medicine and the pharmacist will recommend something if you describe the symptom — yǒu gǎnmào yào ma (do you have cold medicine) is the standard opener. Prescription medicine still needs a doctor.
Do I need an appointment at a clinic?
Usually not — most neighbourhood clinics take walk-ins, and you register when you arrive. Larger practices and hospitals often let you book online or by phone instead.
What is a 健保卡?
Your National Health Insurance card. Residents enrolled in the scheme present it at registration and it covers most of the cost of the visit and the medicine — bring it to every appointment.
How do I describe pain if I don't know the word?
Point and say zhèlǐ tòng — 'it hurts here'. Combine it with duōjiǔ le (how long it's been) and you've covered what the doctor needs to start.
