HSK 4 · Upper-Intermediate stories

看医生 · Seeing a Doctor

Kàn Yīshēng — A first trip to a Chinese hospital — how it works, and what it costs.

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Every word shows its pinyin above the characters. The English translation follows each line.

上个星期shàng ge xīngqī有点yǒudiǎn不舒服,bù shūfujiù医院yīyuànkàn医生。yīshēng

Last week I felt a bit unwell, so I went to the hospital to see a doctor.

中国Zhōngguóde医院yīyuàngēn西方xīfāngde不太bú tài一样。yíyàng

Chinese hospitals are not quite the same as Western ones.

不用búyòngxiān打电话dǎ diànhuà预约,yùyuē可以kěyǐ直接zhíjiē挂号。guàhào

You don't need to call ahead for an appointment — you can just go and register.

zài手机上shǒujī shàngguàle内科nèikēde号,hàoshěngle不少bùshǎo时间。shíjiān

I booked an internal medicine slot on my phone, which saved a lot of time.

děngle大概dàgài二十èrshí分钟,fēnzhōng护士hùshijiùjiào我的wǒ de名字。míngzi

After waiting about twenty minutes, the nurse called my name.

医生yīshēngwèn哪里nǎlǐ不舒服,bù shūfushuō嗓子sǎngzi疼,ténghái有点yǒudiǎn发烧。fāshāo

The doctor asked where it hurt; I said my throat was sore and I had a slight fever.

ràng张开zhāngkāi嘴,zuǐ看了看,kàn le kànyòuliángle体温。tǐwēn

He had me open my mouth, took a look, and then measured my temperature.

shuō只是zhǐshì普通pǔtōngde感冒,gǎnmào不用búyòngtài担心。dānxīn

He said it was just an ordinary cold and there was no need to worry.

然后ránhòugěikāile药,yàoràng一楼yī lóu取药。qǔ yào

Then he prescribed medicine and told me to collect it on the first floor.

取药qǔ yàode地方dìfangpáizhe长队,cháng duì大家dàjiādōuhěn有耐心。yǒu nàixīn

A long queue had formed at the pharmacy counter, and everyone was patient.

yào一共yígònghuāle三十多sānshí duō块钱,kuài qián想象xiǎngxiàngde便宜。piányi

The medicine cost a little over thirty yuan in total — cheaper than I had imagined.

医生yīshēng提醒tíxǐngyàoduō热水,rèshuǐduō休息。xiūxi

The doctor reminded me to drink plenty of hot water and get plenty of rest.

回家huí jiā以后yǐhòushuìle一个yí ge下午。xiàwǔ

After getting home I slept the whole afternoon.

guòleliǎng天,tiān果然guǒrán好多了。hǎo duō le

Two days later, sure enough, I was much better.

Vocabulary in this story (97 words)

WordPinyinMeaning
上个星期shàng ge xīngqīlast week
I
有点yǒudiǎna bit
不舒服bù shūfuunwell
jiùso
went to
医院yīyuànthe hospital
kànto see
医生yīshēnga doctor
中国ZhōngguóChina
de(of)
gēncompared with
西方xīfāngWestern
不太bú tàinot very
一样yíyàngthe same
you
不用búyòngdon't need to
xiānfirst
打电话dǎ diànhuàcall
预约yùyuēto make an appointment
可以kěyǐcan
直接zhíjiēdirectly
挂号guàhàoregister
zàion
手机上shǒujī shàngmy phone
guàbooked
le(past)
内科nèikēinternal medicine
hàoa slot
shěngsaved
不少bùshǎoquite a lot of
时间shíjiāntime
děngwaited
大概dàgàiabout
二十èrshítwenty
分钟fēnzhōngminutes
护士hùshithe nurse
jiàocalled
我的wǒ demy
名字míngziname
wènasked
哪里nǎlǐwhere
shuōsaid
嗓子sǎngzithroat
téngwas sore
háiand also
发烧fāshāofeverish
he
rànghad
张开zhāngkāiopen
zuǐmy mouth
看了看kàn le kàntook a look
yòuthen
liángmeasured
体温tǐwēnmy temperature
只是zhǐshìjust had
普通pǔtōngan ordinary
感冒gǎnmàocold
tàitoo much
担心dānxīnworry
然后ránhòuthen
gěifor
kāiprescribed
yàomedicine
一楼yī lóuthe first floor
取药qǔ yàoto collect the medicine
地方dìfangthe place for
páihad formed
zhe(ongoing)
长队cháng duìa long queue
大家dàjiāeveryone
dōuall
hěnvery
有耐心yǒu nàixīnpatient
一共yígòngin total
huācost
三十多sānshí duōthirty-odd
块钱kuài qiányuan
than
想象xiǎngxiànghad imagined
便宜piányicheaper
提醒tíxǐngreminded
yàoto
duōplenty of
drink
热水rèshuǐhot water
休息xiūxirest
回家huí jiāgetting home
以后yǐhòuafter
shuìslept
一个yí gea whole
下午xiàwǔafternoon
guòpassed
liǎngtwo
tiāndays
果然guǒránsure enough
好多了hǎo duō lewas much better

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