Cam: It’s time to perfect Chinese your way in only five minutes a day.  Welcome to the show, wo shi Cam.
YJ: And wo shi Yajie.  We are talking about going to the yiyuan this week, which means hospital.
Cam: Right. Let’s get started!

Key words of the day

I have a sore throat. 我嗓子疼。 Do you have a cough? 你咳嗽吗？ I need some cough medicine. 我要一些止咳药。 Cough syrup 止咳糖浆， Take this cough syrup three times a day. 喝这种止咳糖浆，一天三次。All in today’s Chinese Studio. 

YJ: Cam, I notice you tend to get coughs. Bud do you have one now? 你咳嗽吗？
Cam: What does that mean?
YJ: it means do you have a cough. Ni3 means you,
C: ni3.
Y: ke2 sou4 means cough,
C: ke2 sou4.
Y: ni3 ke2 sou4 ma?  Do you have a cough?
C: ni3 ke2 sou4 ma?

Conversation1:
A: 你咳嗽吗？
B: 是的，昨天下午开始的。

Cam: Well, I do have a sore throat Yajie.  How would I tell the doctor that?
YJ: you can say 我嗓子疼。
CM: wo3 sang3 zi teng2.
YJ: sang3 zi means throat,
CM: sang3 zi,
YJ: teng2 means sore,
CM: teng2,
YJ: wo3 sang3 zi teng2.
CM: wo3 sang3 zi teng2. I have a sore throat.

Conversation2:
(1)A: 我嗓子疼。
B: 那赶紧去医院开点药。

(2)A: 我嗓子疼。
B: 那就少说点话，多喝水
Cam:  So I need some cough medicine.
YJ: you can say 我要一些止咳药。
CM: wo3 yao4 yi4 xie1 zhi3 ke2 yao4.
YJ: wo3 yao4, I need,
CM: wo3 yao4,
YJ: yi4 xie1 means some,
CM: yi4 xie1.
YJ: zhi3 means stop,
CM: zhi3,
YJ: ke2 means cough,
CM: ke2,
YJ: yao4 means medicine,
CM: yao4,
YJ: wo3 yao4 yi4 xie1 zhi3 ke2 yao4.
CM: wo3 yao4 yi4 xie1 zhi3 ke2 yao4.  I need some cough medicine. 

Conversation3:

A: 我要一些止咳药。
B:  好的，请稍等。

CM: Yajie, could you do me a favor?
YJ: sure.
CM: can you tell me what does this prescription mean? It’s all in Chinese.
YJ: let me see… oh, it says Take this cough syrup three times a day.
CM: what’s it Chinese?
YJ: cough syrup is zhi3 ke2 tang2 jiang1.
CM: I know zhi3 ke2 means stop coughing,
YJ: right, and tang2 jiang1 means syrup,
CM: tang2 jiang1.
YJ: zhi3 ke2 tang2 jiang1
CM: zhi3 ke2 tang2 jiang1, cough syrup,
YJ: take this cough syrup, he1 zhe4zhong3 zhi3 ke2 tang2 jiang1.
CM: he1 zhe4zhong3 zhi3 ke2 tang2 jiang1.
YJ: take means he1,
CM: he1.
YJ: zhe4 zhong3 means this,
CM: zhe4 zhong3.
YJ: three times a day is yi4 tian1 san1 ci4.
CM: yi4 tian1 san1 ci4
YJ: yi4 tian1 means a day,
CM: yi4 tian1.
YJ: san3 ci4 means three times,
CM: san3 ci4.
YJ: yi4 tian1 san1 ci4, three times a day.
CM: yi4 tian1 san1 ci4
YJ: he1 zhe4zhong3 zhi3 ke2 tang2 jiang1
CM: he1 zhe4zhong3 zhi3 ke2 tang2 jiang1 take this cough syrup,
YJ: yi4 tian1 san1 ci4
CM: yi4 tian1 san1 ci4 three times a day. Thanks Yaj.

Conversation 4:
A: 喝这种止咳糖浆，一天三次。
B: 好的，谢谢。

Key Words Reminder:

I have a sore throat. 我嗓子疼。 Do you have a cough? 你咳嗽吗？ I need some cough medicine. 我要一些止咳药。 Cough syrup 止咳糖浆， Take this cough syrup three times a day. 喝这种止咳糖浆，一天三次。All in today’s Chinese Studio. 

Cam: We’ve run out of time already!
YJ: Let’s get to our question of the day. 
Cam: How do you say “I need some cough medicine” in Chinese?  Send your answer to Chinese@crifm.com and you might win a prize. 
YJ: Mingtianjian!