At the Doctor's — First Steps

What you will learn

Learn essential vocabulary for visiting a doctor or clinic in Hong Kong. This lesson covers describing symptoms, naming body parts, understanding basic medical instructions, and pharmacy vocabulary.

Describe common symptoms and how you feel
Name basic body parts in Cantonese
Understand doctor instructions
Use 痛/唔舒服 to express discomfort

Dialogue

Conversation

醫生，我唔舒服，頭好痛。

ji1 sang1, ngo5 m4 syu1 fuk6, tau4 hou2 tung3.

Doctor, Im not feeling well, I have a bad headache.

幾時開始痛㗎？

gei2 si4 hoi1 ci2 tung3 gaa3?

When did the pain start?

尋日夜晚開始，到而家都仲痛。

cam4 jat6 je6 maan5 hoi1 ci2, dou3 ji4 gaa1 dou1 zung6 tung3.

It started last night and still hurts now.

有冇發燒呀？

jau5 mou5 faat3 siu1 aa3?

Do you have a fever?

有少少，今朝量咗三十七度八。

jau5 siu2 siu2, gam1 ziu1 loeng4 zo2 saam1 sap6 cat1 dou6 baat3.

A little, I measured 37.8 this morning.

張開口，我睇吓你個喉嚨。

zoeng1 hoi1 hau2, ngo5 tai2 haa5 nei5 go3 hau4 lung4.

Open your mouth, let me check your throat.

我個喉嚨都有啲痛，仲有少少咳。

ngo5 go3 hau4 lung4 dou1 jau5 di1 tung3, zung6 jau5 siu2 siu2 kat1.

My throat is a bit sore too, and I have a slight cough.

你應該係感冒。我開啲藥俾你，食三日。

nei5 jing1 goi1 hai6 gam2 mou6. ngo5 hoi1 di1 joek6 bei2 nei5, sik6 saam1 jat6.

You probably have a cold. Ill prescribe some medicine, take it for three days.

要唔要戒口呀？

jiu3 m4 jiu3 gaai3 hau2 aa3?

Do I need to avoid any foods?

唔好食凍嘢同埋煎炸嘢，多飲水多休息。

m4 hou2 sik6 dung3 je5 tung4 maai4 zin1 zaa3 je5, do1 jam2 seoi2 do1 jau1 sik1.

Dont eat cold or fried food, drink lots of water and rest more.

Vocabulary

Key Words & Phrases

醫生

ji1 sang1

doctor

唔舒服

m4 syu1 fuk6

unwell; not feeling well

頭痛

tau4 tung3

headache

發燒

faat3 siu1

to have a fever

咳

kat1

to cough

喉嚨

hau4 lung4

throat

感冒

gam2 mou6

cold (illness)

藥

joek6

medicine

痛

tung3

pain; to hurt

休息

jau1 sik1

to rest

戒口

gaai3 hau2

to avoid certain foods

量

loeng4

to measure (temperature)

Grammar

Language Patterns

Body part + 痛 (expressing pain)

Simply place the body part before 痛 (tung3) to say something hurts. Add 好 for emphasis. No verb is needed between them.

我肚痛

ngo5 tou5 tung3

I have a stomachache

佢隻手好痛

keoi5 zek3 sau2 hou2 tung3

His/her hand really hurts

有冇 + symptom (asking about symptoms)

Use 有冇 (jau5 mou5) before a symptom to ask if someone has it. Answer with 有 (yes) or 冇 (no).

有冇肚屙呀？

jau5 mou5 tou5 o1 aa3?

Do you have diarrhoea?

有冇鼻塞呀？

jau5 mou5 bei6 sak1 aa3?

Do you have a stuffy nose?

唔好 + Verb (negative instructions)

Use 唔好 (m4 hou2) before a verb for dont or should not. This is the standard way doctors give prohibitions or advice.

唔好飲凍水

m4 hou2 jam2 dung3 seoi2

Dont drink cold water

唔好做太多運動

m4 hou2 zou6 taai3 do1 wan6 dung6

Dont do too much exercise

開藥俾 + person (prescribing medicine)

The pattern 開藥俾 (hoi1 joek6 bei2) means to prescribe medicine for someone. 開 here means to write/prescribe, 俾 means for/to give to.

醫生開咗藥俾我

ji1 sang1 hoi1 zo2 joek6 bei2 ngo5

The doctor prescribed medicine for me

我開啲止痛藥俾你

ngo5 hoi1 di1 zi2 tung3 joek6 bei2 nei5

Ill prescribe some painkillers for you

Practice

Test Your Knowledge

Fill_blank · Question 1

我___舒服，想睇醫生。(not)

Answer

唔

Translate · Question 2

Translate: I have a headache.

Answer

我頭痛。

Fill_blank · Question 3

___好食凍嘢。(dont)

Answer

唔好

Translate · Question 4

Translate: Do you have a fever?

Answer

你有冇發燒呀？

Choice · Question 5

What does 戒口 mean?

avoid certain foods
take medicine
see a doctor
get rest

Answer

avoid certain foods

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