4 · 41 words

The body and medicine

Organs, symptoms, treatment and the two medical traditions of China.

The organs mostly have short names — 肺(fèi), 胃(wèi), 肝(gān) — and many words for illness are built on them. Symptoms are often adjectives rather than nouns: 我(wǒ)头晕(tóuyūn) is “I feel dizzy”, with no verb at all. China also has two medical traditions side by side, 中医(zhōngyī) and 西医(xīyī), and many people use both.

The words

Verb (7)

治疗(zhìliáo)to treat (medically); treatmentVerb4

经过(jīngguò)一(yí)个(ge)月(yuè)的(de)治疗(zhìliáo)，他(tā)的(de)病(bìng)好(hǎo)多(duō)了(le)。After a month of treatment, he is much better.

恢复(huīfù)to recover; to be restoredVerb4

手术(shǒushù)以后(yǐhòu)她(tā)恢复(huīfù)得(de)很(hěn)快(kuài)。She recovered quickly after the operation.

传染(chuánrǎn)to infect; to be contagiousVerb4

感冒(gǎnmào)会(huì)传染(chuánrǎn)，你(nǐ)最好(zuìhǎo)戴(dài)上(shàng)口罩(kǒuzhào)。Colds are contagious, so you’d better put on a mask.

流血(liúxuè)to bleedVerb4

他(tā)的(de)鼻子(bízi)突然(tūrán)流血(liúxuè)了(le)。His nose suddenly started bleeding.

The dictionary reading is liúxuè; in casual speech you will also hear liúxiě.

呕吐(ǒutù)to vomitVerb4

他(tā)吃(chī)了(le)不(bù)干净(gānjìng)的(de)东西(dōngxi)，晚上(wǎnshang)一直(yìzhí)呕吐(ǒutù)。He ate something bad and was sick all night.

The medical word; in speech 吐(tù).

好转(hǎozhuǎn)to improve; to take a turn for the betterVerb4

吃(chī)了(le)三(sān)天(tiān)药(yào)，病情(bìngqíng)开始(kāishǐ)好转(hǎozhuǎn)了(le)。After three days of medicine, the illness began to improve.

呼吸(hūxī)to breathe; breathingVerb4

山(shān)上(shàng)空气(kōngqì)好(hǎo)，呼吸(hūxī)起来(qilai)特别(tèbié)舒服(shūfu)。The air on the mountain is good; it’s lovely to breathe.

Noun (34)

心脏(xīnzàng)heart (the organ)Noun4

医生(yīshēng)说(shuō)我(wǒ)爸爸(bàba)的(de)心脏(xīnzàng)没(méi)什么(shénme)问题(wèntí)。The doctor said there’s nothing wrong with my father’s heart.

The organ; 心(xīn) on its own is also the heart that feels.

血(xuè)bloodNoun4

我(wǒ)每(měi)年(nián)都(dōu)去(qù)献(xiàn)一(yí)次(cì)血(xuè)。I give blood once every year.

Read xuè in compounds and formal words; standing alone in speech, as in 流(liú)了(le)很(hěn)多(duō)血(xiě), it is usually xiě.

骨头(gǔtou)boneNoun4

他(tā)摔(shuāi)了(le)一(yì)跤(jiāo)，幸好(xìnghǎo)骨头(gǔtou)没(méi)事(shì)。He took a fall, but luckily his bones were fine.

Measure word: 根(gēn) or 块(kuài).

皮肤(pífū)skinNoun4

夏天(xiàtiān)出门(chūmén)要(yào)注意(zhùyì)保护(bǎohù)皮肤(pífū)。In summer, take care to protect your skin when you go out.

肺(fèi)lung(s)Noun4

抽烟(chōuyān)对(duì)肺(fèi)的(de)伤害(shānghài)很(hěn)大(dà)。Smoking does great damage to the lungs.

胃(wèi)stomachNoun4

我(wǒ)胃(wèi)不(bú)太(tài)好(hǎo)，不(bù)能(néng)吃(chī)太(tài)辣(là)的(de)东西(dōngxi)。My stomach isn’t great, so I can’t eat very spicy food.

肝(gān)liverNoun4

喝(hē)酒(jiǔ)太(tài)多(duō)会(huì)伤(shāng)肝(gān)。Drinking too much harms the liver.

大脑(dànǎo)brainNoun4

人(rén)的(de)大脑(dànǎo)在(zài)睡觉(shuìjiào)的(de)时候(shíhou)也(yě)在(zài)工作(gōngzuò)。The human brain keeps working even while we sleep.

肌肉(jīròu)muscleNoun4

跑完(pǎowán)步(bù)以后(yǐhòu)，我(wǒ)腿(tuǐ)上(shàng)的(de)肌肉(jīròu)很(hěn)疼(téng)。After my run, the muscles in my legs ache.

神经(shénjīng)nerveNoun4

这(zhè)种(zhǒng)病(bìng)会(huì)影响(yǐngxiǎng)手(shǒu)上(shàng)的(de)神经(shénjīng)。This illness can affect the nerves in the hands.

神经病(shénjīngbìng) is used as an insult, “crazy”.

器官(qìguān)organ (of the body)Noun4

心(xīn)、肺(fèi)、胃(wèi)都(dōu)是(shì)人体(réntǐ)的(de)重要(zhòngyào)器官(qìguān)。The heart, lungs and stomach are all important organs of the human body.

症状(zhèngzhuàng)symptomNoun4

你(nǐ)有(yǒu)什么(shénme)症状(zhèngzhuàng)？发烧(fāshāo)吗(ma)？What symptoms do you have? Do you have a temperature?

病毒(bìngdú)virusNoun4

这(zhè)种(zhǒng)病(bìng)是(shì)病毒(bìngdú)引起(yǐnqǐ)的(de)，很(hěn)容易(róngyì)传染(chuánrǎn)。This illness is caused by a virus and spreads easily.

Also a computer virus.

细菌(xìjūn)bacteria; germsNoun4

饭(fàn)前(qián)洗(xǐ)手(shǒu)可以(kěyǐ)洗掉(xǐdiào)很(hěn)多(duō)细菌(xìjūn)。Washing your hands before eating gets rid of a lot of germs.

患者(huànzhě)patient (formal)Noun4

这(zhè)位(wèi)患者(huànzhě)需要(xūyào)马上(mǎshàng)手术(shǒushù)。This patient needs an operation immediately.

Formal and medical; in speech 病人(bìngrén).

处方(chǔfāng)prescriptionNoun4

这(zhè)种(zhǒng)药(yào)要(yào)有(yǒu)医生(yīshēng)的(de)处方(chǔfāng)才(cái)能(néng)买(mǎi)。You can only buy this medicine with a doctor’s prescription.

处(chǔ) has the third tone here, not the fourth of 到处(dàochù).

急诊(jízhěn)emergency treatment; A&ENoun4

半夜(bànyè)孩子(háizi)发烧(fāshāo)，我们(wǒmen)只好(zhǐhǎo)去(qù)看(kàn)急诊(jízhěn)。The child got a fever in the middle of the night, so we had to go to A&E.

心跳(xīntiào)heartbeat; heart rateNoun4

跑完(pǎowán)一千(yìqiān)米(mǐ)，我(wǒ)的(de)心跳(xīntiào)特别(tèbié)快(kuài)。After running a thousand metres my heart was racing.

中医(zhōngyī)traditional Chinese medicine; a doctor of itNoun4

我(wǒ)奶奶(nǎinai)不(bù)舒服(shūfu)的(de)时候(shíhou)喜欢(xǐhuan)看(kàn)中医(zhōngyī)。When my grandmother feels unwell, she likes to see a traditional Chinese doctor.

西医(xīyī)Western medicine; a doctor of itNoun4

很(hěn)多(duō)人(rén)既(jì)看(kàn)西医(xīyī)也(yě)看(kàn)中医(zhōngyī)。Many people see both Western and traditional Chinese doctors.

针灸(zhēnjiǔ)acupunctureNoun4

他(tā)的(de)腰(yāo)疼(téng)是(shì)做(zuò)针灸(zhēnjiǔ)治好(zhìhǎo)的(de)。His back pain was cured with acupuncture.

病情(bìngqíng)condition (of a patient)Noun4

医生(yīshēng)每(měi)天(tiān)都(dōu)来(lái)看(kàn)他(tā)的(de)病情(bìngqíng)有(yǒu)没有(méiyǒu)变化(biànhuà)。The doctor comes every day to see whether his condition has changed.

外科(wàikē)surgery (as a department)Noun4

他(tā)是(shì)医院(yīyuàn)里(li)最(zuì)有名(yǒumíng)的(de)外科(wàikē)医生(yīshēng)。He is the best-known surgeon in the hospital.

内科(nèikē)internal medicine (as a department)Noun4

咳嗽(késou)发烧(fāshāo)应该(yīnggāi)挂(guà)内科(nèikē)，不(bú)用(yòng)挂(guà)外科(wàikē)。For a cough and fever you register with internal medicine, not surgery.

Illnesses treated without an operation; surgery is 外科(wàikē).

肾(shèn)kidneyNoun4

多(duō)喝(hē)水(shuǐ)对(duì)肾(shèn)有(yǒu)好处(hǎochù)。Drinking plenty of water is good for the kidneys.

血管(xuèguǎn)blood vesselNoun4

人(rén)老(lǎo)了(le)血管(xuèguǎn)会(huì)变(biàn)硬(yìng)，更(gèng)容易(róngyì)得(dé)心脏病(xīnzàngbìng)。As people age their blood vessels harden, making heart disease more likely.

关节(guānjié)jointNoun4

天(tiān)一(yí)下(xià)雨(yǔ)，我(wǒ)奶奶(nǎinai)的(de)关节(guānjié)就(jiù)疼(téng)。Whenever it rains, my grandmother’s joints ache.

视力(shìlì)eyesight; visionNoun4

长期(chángqī)看(kàn)手机(shǒujī)会(huì)影响(yǐngxiǎng)视力(shìlì)。Looking at a phone for long periods can affect your eyesight.

肩膀(jiānbǎng)shoulderNoun4

背包(bēibāo)太(tài)重(zhòng)，我(wǒ)的(de)肩膀(jiānbǎng)很(hěn)酸(suān)。My rucksack is too heavy, and my shoulders ache.

膝盖(xīgài)kneeNoun4

他(tā)踢(tī)球(qiú)的(de)时候(shíhou)伤(shāng)了(le)膝盖(xīgài)。He hurt his knee playing football.

舌头(shétou)tongueNoun4

汤(tāng)太(tài)烫(tàng)了(le)，我(wǒ)的(de)舌头(shétou)被(bèi)烫(tàng)了(le)一下(yíxià)。The soup was too hot and I burnt my tongue.

喉咙(hóulóng)throatNoun4

我(wǒ)喉咙(hóulóng)疼(téng)，连(lián)水(shuǐ)都(dōu)不(bù)想(xiǎng)喝(hē)。My throat hurts so much I don’t even want to drink water.

In everyday speech also 嗓子(sǎngzi).

胸(xiōng)chestNoun4

医生(yīshēng)问(wèn)他(tā)胸(xiōng)疼不疼(téngbuténg)。The doctor asked him whether his chest hurt.

眼科(yǎnkē)ophthalmology; eye clinicNoun4

我(wǒ)眼睛(yǎnjing)有点儿(yǒudiǎnr)红(hóng)，想(xiǎng)去(qù)医院(yīyuàn)的(de)眼科(yǎnkē)看看(kànkan)。My eyes are a bit red; I want to go to the eye clinic at the hospital.

This list belongs to Body and health — seven lists and 281 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 41 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.