Mandarin Month: How to Navigate Buying Medicine at a Local Pharmacy
In the lead up to our Mandarin Month mixer on June 24 June 25, where you'll be able to meet with Beijing's best Mandarin schools, we'll be dishing out some language-learning advice on a daily basis. Read on if you don't want to wait to get started on improving your 中文. Mandarin Month is sponsored by Sanfine International Hospital.
Going to the local pharmacy in Beijing can be a mystifying experience, especially when you don’t speak the language. More often than not, buying medicine at the local pharmacy is a guessing game, since labels are usually in Chinese and the bland packaging gives very little indication as to what the medicine is for. However, a simple task like buying medicine shouldn’t be a reason to not get the medicine you need. In order to make the process easier, we’ve provided a list of phrases to help navigate your way once you've made it to your local pharmacy.
Finding a Pharmacy
Pharmacies are prevalent on nearly every street corner in Beijing, so finding one is not difficult. Try to spot shops marked with a green cross along with the characters 药店 (yàodiàn) – local pharmacies. They carry all types of medications including over-the-counter, prescription-only, and contraceptives. It’s unlikely for these pharmacies to carry an extensive range of Western brands that you’re familiar with, but they are usually well-equipped if you know what type of medication you’re looking for. There are pharmacies dedicated to Western medicine (西药房, xī yàodiàn) in Beijing, frequently found in international hospitals (国际医院,guójì yīyuàn), but be aware that you'll pay a heftier price for medicine.
Finding the Right Medication
The staff at local pharmacies are generally very helpful and can recommend the proper type of medication for your ailment, but they rarely speak good English. If you have a doctor’s prescription (处方 chùfāng), simply hand it to the counter to receive your medication. It is also worth noting that antibiotics (抗生素 kàngshēngsù), contraceptives (避孕药 bìyùn yào), and some vitamin supplements (维他命 wéitāmìng) require a doctor’s prescription to purchase.
- Here is my doctor’s prescription. 这是我医生开的处方。Zhè shì wǒ yīshēng kāi de chùfāng.
Otherwise, you will need to find over the counter medicine (非处方药 fēichùfāngyào) on your own. If you simply don’t have the time to browse or can’t be bothered to decipher each label on your own, just ask for help.
- Do you have medicine for [ailment]? 你有【病】的药吗？Nǐ yǒu [bìng] de yào ma?
- What is the best brand for [ailment] medicine? 治 ... 病最好的药是什么牌子？Zhì ... bìng zuì hǎo de yào shì shí me pái zǐ?
- Do you have pills instead? 有药丸吗？Yǒu yàowán ma?
Types of common illnesses
- Cough 咳嗽 késòu
- Flu 流感 liúgǎn
- Sore throat 喉咙痛 hóulóng tong
- Diarrhea or constipation 腹泻/便秘 fùxiè/biànmì
- Female health 女性健康 nǚxìng jiànkāng
- Allergies 过敏 guòmǐn
- Muscle pain 肌肉疼痛 jīròu téngtòng
- Nausea 恶心 ěxīn
- Cuts or burns 切割或烧伤 qiēgē huò shāoshāng
- Oral health 口腔健康 kǒuqiāng jiànkāng
Questions about product labels
- How many times a day do I have to take this? 我每天需要吃几次药？Wǒ měitiān xūyào chī jǐcì yào？
- How strong is this medicine? 这种药的药劲有多强？Zhè zhǒng yào de yàojìn yǒu duō qiáng?
- Do I have to eat before I take this medicine? 这种药是在饭后吃吗？Zhèzhǒng yào shìzài fànhòu chī ma?
- When is the expiration date? 什么时候到期？Shénme shíhòu dàoqī?
- Are there any side effects? 有没有副作用？Yǒu méiyǒu fùzuòyòng?
Once you've found the medicine you're looking for, the pharmicist will fill out a slip and you'll usually have to go to a separate counter to pay. Once you're paid up, head back to the pharmacist and switch in your receipt to collect your medicine.
Keep on track with your studies with all of our 2017 Mandarin Month content here, and don't forget to register for our June 24 June 25mixer here.
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