Cam: Yajie, one of foreigners biggest problems in China is seeing the doctor, or trying to buy medicine.  It becomes a game of charades as we pretend to cough or grab our head to show what’s wrong.  I’d be a lot easier just to say it in Chinese!
YJ: Well Cam, I’m here to help.

Key words of the day

Hospital. 医院  Doctor. 医生 You look pale. Are you okay? 你脸色不太好，没事儿吧.  I have a headache. 我头疼I have a toothache. 我牙疼。When did it start? 什么时候开始的？ All in today’s Chinese Studio.

YJ: Cam, 你脸色不太好，没事儿吧?
Cam: What does that mean?
YJ: it means you look pale. Are you okay?
C: I see. What is it again?
Y: let’s look at it word by word. Ni means you,
C: ni
Y: lian3 se4 literally means what your face look like,
C: lian3 se4.
Y: bu4 means not, 
C: bu4
Y: tai4 hao3 means very well,
C: tai4 hao3,
Y: bu2 tai4 hao3, not very well, pale,
C: bu2 tai4 hao3.
Y: ni3 lian3 se4 bu2 tai4 hao3,
C: ni3 lian3 se4 bu2 tai4 hao3, you look pale.
Y：没事儿吧, are you okay?
C：mei2 shi4er ba .

Conversation1:
A: 你脸色不太好，没事儿吧?
B: 没事，可能是昨晚没睡好。

Cam: Well, I don’t feel well Yajie.  I have a headache.
YJ: Ni tou teng, which means, you have a headache.
CM: So if I were to tell a doctor that I have a headache, I could say wo tou teng, right?
YJ: right. Tou2 means head,
C: tou2,
Y: teng2 means ache,
C: teng2.
Y: ni tou teng, you have a headache.
C: right, wo tou teng, I have a headache. What if I have a toothache, how should I tell doctor about that?
Y: You can say, wo3 ya2 teng2.
C: wo3 ya2 teng2.
Y: ya2 means tooth,
C: ya2, and teng2 means ache,
Y: right. Ya2 teng2, toothache.
C: ya2 teng2.
Y: wo3 ya2 teng2.
C: wo3 ya2 teng2. I have a toothache.

Conversation2:
A: 大夫，我牙疼。
B: 那我给你开点消炎药。

YJ: Then the doctor may ask you when did it start, and in Chinese it’s 什么时候开始的?
CM:. shen2me shi2hou kai1shi3 de?
YJ: shen2me shi2hou means when,
CM:. shen2me shi2hou,
YJ: kai1 shi3 means start,
CM:. kai1 shi3,
YJ: shen2me shi2hou kai1shi3 de?
CM:. shen2me shi2hou kai1shi3 de? When did it start?

Conversation3:
A: 大夫，我头疼。
B: 什么时候开始的？
A：大概从前天开始的。

Cam:  So I might need to go to the hospital to see a doctor. Yajie, what’s the Chinese for hospital and doctor?
YJ: hospital is yi1 yuan4.
CM:. yi1 yuan4.
YJ: yi1 means cure,
CM: yi1
YJ: yuan4 means such a place or an institute.
CM: yuan4
YJ: yi1 yuan4,
CM:. yi1 yuan4. hospital. A place to cure patients.
YJ: doctor is yi1 sheng1.
CM:. yi1 sheng1.

Conversation 4:
A: 我想去看医生，你知道最近的医院在哪儿吗？
B: 地铁旁边就有一家 。

Key Words Reminder：
Hospital. 医院  Doctor. 医生 You look pale. Are you okay? 你脸色不太好，没事儿吧.  I have a headache. 我头疼I have a toothache. 我牙疼。When did it start? 什么时候开始的？ All in today’s Chinese Studio.

Cam: This will certain help Yajie when I go to see the doctor.
YJ: Glad to hear it.  Let’s get to our question of the day. 
Cam: How do you say “I have a headache” in Chinese?  Send your answer to Chinese@crifm.com and you might win a prize. 
YJ: Mingtianjian!