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我wǒ有点yǒudiǎn不舒服,bù shūfu就jiù去qù医院yīyuàn看kàn医生。yīshēng

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

中国Zhōngguó的de医院yīyuàn跟gēn西方xīfāng的de不太bú tài一样。yíyàng

Chinese hospitals are not quite the same as Western ones.

你nǐ不用búyòng先xiān打电话dǎ diànhuà预约,yùyuē可以kěyǐ直接zhíjiē去qù挂号。guàhào

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

我wǒ在zài手机上shǒujī shàng挂guà了le内科nèikē的de号,hào省shěng了le不少bùshǎo时间。shíjiān

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

等děng了le大概dàgài二十èrshí分钟,fēnzhōng护士hùshi就jiù叫jiào我的wǒ de名字。míngzi

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

医生yīshēng问wèn我wǒ哪里nǎlǐ不舒服,bù shūfu我wǒ说shuō我wǒ嗓子sǎngzi疼,téng还hái有点yǒudiǎn发烧。fāshāo

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

他tā让ràng我wǒ张开zhāngkāi嘴,zuǐ看了看,kàn le kàn又yòu量liáng了le体温。tǐwēn

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

他tā说shuō我wǒ只是zhǐshì普通pǔtōng的de感冒,gǎnmào不用búyòng太tài担心。dānxīn

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

然后ránhòu他tā给gěi我wǒ开kāi了le药,yào让ràng我wǒ去qù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 yào的de地方dìfang排pái着zhe长队,cháng duì大家dàjiā都dōu很hěn有耐心。yǒu nàixīn

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

药yào一共yígòng花huā了le三十多sānshí duō块钱,kuài qián比bǐ我wǒ想象xiǎngxiàng的de便宜。piányi

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

医生yīshēng提醒tíxǐng我wǒ要yào多duō喝hē热水,rèshuǐ多duō休息。xiūxi

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

回家huí jiā以后yǐhòu我wǒ睡shuì了le一个yí ge下午。xiàwǔ

After getting home I slept the whole afternoon.

过guò了le两liǎng天,tiān我wǒ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
我wǒI
有点yǒudiǎna bit
不舒服bù shūfuunwell
就jiùso
去qùwent to
医院yīyuànthe hospital
看kànto see
医生yīshēnga doctor
中国ZhōngguóChina
的de(of)
跟gēncompared with
西方xīfāngWestern
不太bú tàinot very
一样yíyàngthe same
你nǐyou
不用búyòngdon't need to
先xiānfirst
打电话dǎ diànhuàcall
预约yùyuēto make an appointment
可以kěyǐcan
直接zhíjiēdirectly
挂号guàhàoregister
在zàion
手机上shǒujī shàngmy phone
挂guàbooked
了le(past)
内科nèikēinternal medicine
号hàoa slot
省shěngsaved
不少bùshǎoquite a lot of
时间shíjiāntime
等děngwaited
大概dàgàiabout
二十èrshítwenty
分钟fēnzhōngminutes
护士hùshithe nurse
叫jiàocalled
我的wǒ demy
名字míngziname
问wènasked
哪里nǎlǐwhere
说shuōsaid
嗓子sǎngzithroat
疼téngwas sore
还háiand also
发烧fāshāofeverish
他tāhe
让rànghad
张开zhāngkāiopen
嘴zuǐmy mouth
看了看kàn le kàntook a look
又yòuthen
量liángmeasured
体温tǐwēnmy temperature
只是zhǐshìjust had
普通pǔtōngan ordinary
感冒gǎnmàocold
太tàitoo much
担心dānxīnworry
然后ránhòuthen
给gěifor
开kāiprescribed
药yàomedicine
一楼yī lóuthe first floor
取药qǔ yàoto collect the medicine
地方dìfangthe place for
排páihad formed
着zhe(ongoing)
长队cháng duìa long queue
大家dàjiāeveryone
都dōuall
很hěnvery
有耐心yǒu nàixīnpatient
一共yígòngin total
花huācost
三十多sānshí duōthirty-odd
块钱kuài qiányuan
比bǐthan
想象xiǎngxiànghad imagined
便宜piányicheaper
提醒tíxǐngreminded
要yàoto
多duōplenty of
喝hēdrink
热水rèshuǐhot water
休息xiūxirest
回家huí jiāgetting home
以后yǐhòuafter
睡shuìslept
一个yí gea whole
下午xiàwǔafternoon
过guòpassed
两liǎngtwo
天tiāndays
果然guǒránsure enough
好多了hǎo duō lewas much better

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