Mandarin Monday: Tissues, Check. Medicine, Check. Useful Allergy Vocab, Check!
It’s that time of year again, the s… Ahchoo! The sneezing spring. Luckily, it has nothing to do with the coronavirus or seasonal flu, but rather the aggravating catkins and myriad allergens that make their annual migration up our nasal passages. Put another way, when the plants are a-rockin', our respiratory systems come a-knockin'. Or something like that. Either way, aside from the requisite tissues and allergy medicine, here are some Mandarin vocab words to help you breathe a little easier.
Airborne allergens
花粉 huāfěn Pollen – Probably the most irritating allergen of them all. Invisible yet omnipresent in spring, these micro devils can turn an otherwise beautifully blossoming season into a runny nose, eye-burning nightmare. Wearing a mask when you go out can be an effective way to prevent their attacks, however, it's not the panacea we desperately need.
尘螨 chén mǎn Dust-mite – While you should always wash your bedding regularly, now it's particularly important otherwise these little dumb-dumbs will snuggle up in your mattress and sheets. You can either use the spray or wear mite-proofed clothes to reduce their effects on you.
狗毛/猫毛 gǒu máo/māo máo Dog/Cat fur – Dogs and cats have long been regarded as humanity's finest companions, however, for some of us, their fur is much less friendly. This one is a bit easier to avoid in that, if anyone in your household is allergic to pets, don't get them. Bummer, we know.
Foodie allergens
海鲜 hǎixiān Seafood – All kinds of protein can cause allergies, but seafood tends to be the most common offender. Some people only have reactions to shellfish, while others can’t tolerate anything raised in salty water.
酒精 jiǔjīng Alcohol – The symptoms can be relatively mild, and sometimes it's difficult to know where an allergy stops and the hangover begins, so folks tend to neglect this one until the problem becomes unbearable. Nevertheless, it serves as a convenient excuse when coerced into a happy hour with your boss.
坚果 jiānguǒ Nuts – This seemingly harmless snack can be downright deadly, so don’t kiss your lover after you've had a Nutella and toast for your breakfast.
乳制品 rǔ zhìpǐn Diary – Although there are some similar symptoms, cow’s milk allergy is different from 乳糖不耐受 rǔtáng bù nài shòu lactose intolerance. While both will probably result in an upset tummy, an allergy to cow's milk, specifically, will probably include skin and respiratory problems as well.
Allergic to the touch
染发剂 rǎnfǎ jì Hair dye
化妆品 huàzhuāngpǐn Cosmetics
Common Symptoms
流鼻涕 liú bítì Running nose
打喷嚏 dǎ pēntì Sneezing
咳嗽 késòu Coughing
眼睛瘙痒 yǎnjīng sàoyǎng Itchy eyes
皮肤红肿 pífū hóngzhǒng Swollen reddish skin
皮疹 pízhěn Rash
呼吸困难 hūxī kùnnán Out of breath
恶心 ěxīn Nauseous
头晕 tóuyūn Dizzy
And finally, some handy sentences...
我对xx过敏 wǒ duì xx guòmǐn
I am allergic to xx.
别紧张，我咳嗽，流鼻涕都是因为过敏，不是COVID-19 wǒ késòu, liú bítì dōu shì yīn wéi guòmǐn, bùshì COVID-19
Don’t panic, I am coughing and have a running nose because of allergies, they have nothing to do with COVID-19.
医生，我过敏又犯了，能查查过敏原么？ wǒ guòmǐn yòu fànle, néng chá chá guòmǐn yuán me?
Doctor, I am suffering from my allergies again. Can we run a test to figure out my allergens?
你的狗/ 猫真可爱，但是我对他们过敏，就不靠近了 nǐ de gǒu/ māo zhēn kě'ài, dànshì wǒ duì tāmen guòmǐn, jiù bù kàojìnle
Your dog/cat is so cute, but I am going to keep my distance since I am allergic to their fur.
这道菜里有海鲜/ 贝类/ 坚果/ 乳制品么？我对它们过敏 zhè dào cài li yǒu hǎixiān/ bèi lèi/ jiānguǒ/ rǔ zhìpǐn me? Wǒ duì tāmen guòmǐn
Is there any seafood/shellfish/nuts/dairy in this dish? I am allergic to them.
我对酒精过敏，请允许我以茶代酒，表示敬意 wǒ duì tāmen guòmǐn wǒ duì jiǔjīng guòmǐn, qǐng yǔnxǔ wǒ yǐ chá dài jiǔ, biǎoshì jìngyì
I am allergic to alcohol, please allow me to show my respect with the tea instead.
您干了，我随意（可能让你被炒鱿鱼）nín gànle, wǒ suíyì (kěnéng ràng nǐ bèi chǎoyóuyú)
You bottom it up, I take it easy. (Disclaimer: may get you fired if you talk to your boss like that)
Read: Pollen Counts Are High This Year: Here’s How You Can Track Them in Beijing
Images: Diana Polekhina (via Unsplash), Pixabay, Pixy, Social the Liftstyle Magazine
