Cam: Yajie, one of foreigners biggest problems in China is seeing the doctor, or trying to buy medicine. It becomes a game of charades as we pretend to cough or grab our head to show what's wrong. I'd be a lot easier just to say it in Chinese!
YJ: Well Cam, I'm here to help.
********************
Key words of the day
Hospital. 医院 Doctor. 医生 You look pale. Are you okay? 你脸色不太好,没事儿吧. I have a headache. 我头疼。I have a toothache. 我牙疼。When did it start? 什么时候开始的? All in today's Chinese Studio.
********************
YJ: Cam, 你脸色不太好,没事儿吧?
Cam: What does that mean?
YJ: it means you look pale. Are you okay?
C: I see. What is it again?
Y: let's look at it word by word. 你 Ni means you,
C: ni
Y: 脸色 lian3 se4 literally means what your face look like,
C: lian3 se4.
Y: 不 bu4 means not,
C: bu4
Y: 太好 tai4 hao3 means very well,
C: tai4 hao3,
Y: 不太好 bu2 tai4 hao3, not very well, pale,
C: bu2 tai4 hao3.
Y: 你脸色不太好 ni3 lian3 se4 bu2 tai4 hao3,
C: ni3 lian3 se4 bu2 tai4 hao3, you look pale.
Y:没事儿吧, are you okay?
C:mei2 shi4er ba .
Conversation 1:
A: 你脸色不太好，没事儿吧?
B: 没事,可能是昨晚没睡好。
Cam: Well, I don't feel well Yajie. I have a headache.
YJ: Ni tou teng, which means, you have a headache.
CM: So if I were to tell a doctor that I have a headache, I could say wo tou teng, right?
YJ: right. 头 Tou2 means head,
C: tou2,
Y: 疼 teng2 means ache,
C: teng2.
Y: 你头疼 ni tou teng, you have a headache.
C: right, 我头疼 wo tou teng, I have a headache. What if I have a toothache, how should I tell doctor
about that?
Y: You can say, 我牙疼 wo3 ya2 teng2.
C: wo3 ya2 teng2.
Y: 牙 ya2 means tooth,
C: 牙 ya2, and 疼 teng2 means ache,
Y: right. Ya2 teng2, toothache.
C: ya2 teng2.
Y: 我牙疼 wo3 ya2 teng2.
C: wo3 ya2 teng2. I have a toothache.
Conversation 2:
A: 大夫,我牙疼。
B: 那我给你开点消炎药。
YJ: Then the doctor may ask you when did it start, and in Chinese it's 什么时候开始的?
CM: shen2me shi2hou kai1shi3 de?
YJ: 什么时候 shen2me shi2hou means when,
CM: shen2me shi2hou,
YJ: 开始 kai1 shi3 means start,
CM: kai1 shi3,
YJ: 什么时候开始的 shen2me shi2hou kai1shi3 de?
CM: shen2me shi2hou kai1shi3 de? When did it start?
Conversation 3:
A: 大夫，我头疼。
B: 什么时候开始的?
A:大概从前天开始的。
Cam: So I might need to go to the hospital to see a doctor. Yajie, what's the Chinese for hospital and doctor?
YJ: hospital is 医院 yi1 yuan4.
CM: yi1 yuan4.
YJ: 医 yi1 means cure,
CM: yi1
YJ: 院 yuan4 means such a place or an institute.
CM: yuan4
YJ: 医院 yi1 yuan4,
CM: yi1 yuan4. hospital. A place to cure patients.
YJ: doctor is 医生 yi1 sheng1.
CM: yi1 sheng1.
Conversation 4:
A: 我想去看医生,你知道最近的医院在哪儿吗?
B: 地铁旁边就有一家 。
********************
Key Words Reminder:
Hospital. 医院 Doctor. 医生 You look pale. Are you okay? 你脸色不太好,没事儿吧. I have a headache. 我头疼I have a toothache. 我牙疼。When did it start? 什么时候开始的? All in today's Chinese Studio.
********************
Cam: This will certain help Yajie when I go to see the doctor.
YJ: Glad to hear it. Let's get to our question of the day.
Cam: How do you say "I have a headache" in Chinese?
YJ: Mingtianjian!
