Describing what is wrong
Symptom sentences in Japanese follow two simple shapes. For pain, the body part takes ga and the adjective is itai: nodo ga itai desu, my throat hurts. For something that comes out or appears, the symptom takes ga and the verb is demasu or arimasu: seki ga demasu, I have a cough.
Adding when it started and how bad it is gives the staff almost everything they need. Kinō kara, since yesterday, and sukoshi or hidoi for the severity, turn a symptom into a usable description.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| のどが痛いです。 | Nodo ga itai desu. | My throat hurts. |
| 頭が痛くて、熱もあります。 | Atama ga itakute, netsu mo arimasu. | I have a headache and a fever too. |
| 咳が出ます。 | Seki ga demasu. | I have a cough. |
| 鼻水が止まりません。 | Hanamizu ga tomarimasen. | My nose will not stop running. |
| 昨日からです。 | Kinō kara desu. | Since yesterday. |
| 少しだけです。ひどくはないです。 | Sukoshi dake desu. Hidoku wa nai desu. | Only a little. It is not severe. |
| お腹の調子が悪いです。 | Onaka no chōshi ga warui desu. | My stomach is not right. |
| 体がだるいです。 | Karada ga darui desu. | I feel sluggish and heavy. |
The vocabulary you will actually need
The symptom and medicine vocabulary is small and worth learning before you need it, since you will be reaching for it on a day when your Japanese is at its worst.
| English | Japanese | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Fever | 熱 netsu | 熱があります netsu ga arimasu |
| Cough | 咳 seki | 咳が出ます seki ga demasu |
| Runny nose | 鼻水 hanamizu | Very common in spring |
| Sore throat | のどの痛み nodo no itami | のどが痛い nodo ga itai |
| Headache | 頭痛 zutsū | 頭が痛い atama ga itai is more spoken |
| Stomach ache | 腹痛 fukutsū | お腹が痛い onaka ga itai is more spoken |
| Painkiller | 痛み止め itamidome | The everyday word |
| Cold medicine | 風邪薬 kazegusuri | General cold remedy |
| Fever reducer | 解熱剤 genetsuzai | Often the same product as a painkiller |
| Plaster, bandage | 絆創膏 bansōkō | サビオ and other brand names are regional |
| Hay fever | 花粉症 kafunshō | Enormous in spring; staff will suggest products |
Asking for the right product
In a drugstore you can either describe the symptom and let staff choose, or ask for a category. The first is usually better, because Japanese over-the-counter medicines are often combination products aimed at a symptom set rather than a single ingredient.
If you need a specific active ingredient, ask by the ingredient name rather than the brand you know from home. Staff can match on ingredients and cannot match on foreign brands.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 風邪薬はどこですか。 | Kazegusuri wa doko desu ka. | Where is the cold medicine? |
| のどの痛みに効くものはありますか。 | Nodo no itami ni kiku mono wa arimasu ka. | Do you have something that works for a sore throat? |
| 眠くならないものがいいです。 | Nemuku naranai mono ga ii desu. | I would like one that does not make you drowsy. |
| 子ども用はありますか。 | Kodomo-yō wa arimasu ka. | Do you have a children's version? |
| この成分が入っているものを探しています。 | Kono seibun ga haitte iru mono o sagashite imasu. | I am looking for one containing this ingredient. |
| どのくらいで効きますか。 | Dono kurai de kikimasu ka. | How long does it take to work? |
Kiku, to be effective, is the verb for medicine working. Nodo ni kiku kusuri is medicine that works on the throat.
The prescription counter
With a prescription you hand over the slip, the medicine record book if you have one, and your insurance card. Then come the questions, and they are the same every time: allergies, current medication, whether you have taken this before, and sometimes whether you are pregnant or driving.
Prepare these answers in advance and write them down. They are asked when you are unwell, they matter medically, and guessing is not an acceptable outcome.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 処方箋をお願いします。 | Shohōsen o onegaishimasu. | Here is my prescription. |
| お薬手帳はお持ちですか。 — 持っています。 | Okusuri techō wa omochi desu ka. — Motte imasu. | Do you have a medicine record book? — I do. |
| アレルギーはありますか。 — ペニシリンのアレルギーがあります。 | Arerugii wa arimasu ka. — Penishirin no arerugii ga arimasu. | Any allergies? — I am allergic to penicillin. |
| 今、ほかに飲んでいるお薬はありますか。 — ありません。 | Ima, hoka ni nonde iru okusuri wa arimasu ka. — Arimasen. | Are you taking any other medication? — No. |
| このお薬は初めてですか。 — 初めてです。 | Kono okusuri wa hajimete desu ka. — Hajimete desu. | Is this your first time with this medicine? — It is. |
| 少々お待ちください。お呼びします。 | Shōshō omachi kudasai. Oyobi shimasu. | Please wait a moment. We will call you. |
Understanding the dosage instructions
The pharmacist will explain how to take the medicine, and the phrasing is formulaic. Frequency is given as times per day, ichi-nichi san-kai. Timing is relative to meals: shokugo after eating, shokuzen before, and shokkan between meals. Duration is given in days.
The instruction you must not misread is tonpuku, which means take as needed rather than on a schedule. Painkillers are often prescribed this way, and taking them on a fixed schedule instead is a real error.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 一日三回 | ichi-nichi san-kai | Three times a day |
| 食後 | shokugo | After meals |
| 食前 | shokuzen | Before meals |
| 食間 | shokkan | Between meals, not with food |
| 就寝前 | shūshin-mae | Before bed |
| 頓服 | tonpuku | As needed, not on a schedule |
| 五日分 | itsuka-bun | Five days' worth |
| 飲みきってください | nomikitte kudasai | Finish the whole course |
Nomikitte kudasai matters most with antibiotics. It means finish the course even if you feel better, and it is said for a reason.
Questions worth asking
Pharmacists in Japan expect questions and are usually generous with time. The ones worth asking are about drowsiness, alcohol, driving, and what to do if you miss a dose, since these are the practical issues that come up and the packaging may not be readable for you.
It is also worth asking whether the medicine can be taken with anything you already use, including supplements, which learners often forget to mention.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 眠くなりますか。 | Nemuku narimasu ka. | Will it make me drowsy? |
| お酒は大丈夫ですか。 | Osake wa daijōbu desu ka. | Is alcohol all right with this? |
| 運転してもいいですか。 | Unten shite mo ii desu ka. | Is it all right to drive? |
| 飲み忘れたらどうすればいいですか。 | Nomiwasuretara dō sureba ii desu ka. | What should I do if I forget a dose? |
| 市販の風邪薬と一緒に飲んでもいいですか。 | Shihan no kazegusuri to issho ni nonde mo ii desu ka. | Can I take it with over-the-counter cold medicine? |
| よくならない場合は、どうしたらいいですか。 | Yoku naranai baai wa, dō shitara ii desu ka. | What should I do if it does not improve? |
When to go to a clinic instead
Pharmacy staff will tell you when a symptom needs a doctor, and it is worth listening. Persistent fever, chest pain, breathing difficulty and anything lasting more than a few days will usually be met with a recommendation to see a clinic rather than a product.
The word to listen for is byōin, hospital or clinic, in a sentence suggesting you go. Byōin ni itta hō ga ii desu yo is advice you should take rather than negotiate with.
| Japanese | Romaji | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 病院に行った方がいいですよ。 | Byōin ni itta hō ga ii desu yo. | You had better go to a clinic. |
| 近くに内科はありますか。 | Chikaku ni naika wa arimasu ka. | Is there a general practice nearby? |
| 今日開いている病院を教えてもらえますか。 | Kyō aite iru byōin o oshiete moraemasu ka. | Could you tell me a clinic open today? |
| 英語が通じる病院はありますか。 | Eigo ga tsūjiru byōin wa arimasu ka. | Is there a clinic where English is understood? |
| 紹介状は必要ですか。 | Shōkaijō wa hitsuyō desu ka. | Is a referral letter needed? |