japanese-hospital-vocabulary

You wake up in Tokyo feeling terrible — a pounding headache, a high fever, and no idea how to explain your symptoms in Japanese. This scenario is more common than you might think, and it is one of the most stressful language situations you can face abroad. The good news: Japanese medical staff are used to helping foreign patients, and even a handful of the right phrases can make the experience much smoother. This guide covers everything from walking through the clinic door to picking up your prescription at the pharmacy.

Japanese	Reading	English
病院	byouin	hospital
クリニック	kurinikku	clinic (private, smaller)
病気	byouki	illness, sickness
痛い	itai	painful, it hurts
熱	netsu	fever
吐き気	hakike	nausea
めまい	memai	dizziness
処方箋	shohousen	prescription
薬局	yakkyoku	pharmacy
保険証	hokenshou	health insurance card
アレルギー	arerugī	allergy
救急車	kyuukyuusha	ambulance

Types of Clinics and Hospital Departments

In Japan, 病院（びょういん）refers to larger hospitals, while クリニック or 診療所（しんりょうじょ）are smaller, private clinics you visit for everyday illnesses. Most clinics are specialists — knowing the right department name saves you from walking into the wrong building.

Japanese	Reading	Department / Specialty
内科	naika	Internal medicine (colds, fever, stomach aches — your first stop for most illnesses)
外科	geka	Surgery / external injuries (cuts, broken bones)
歯科	shika	Dentistry
眼科	ganka	Ophthalmology (eye doctor)
耳鼻科	jibiinkouka	ENT — ear, nose, and throat
皮膚科	hifuka	Dermatology (skin issues)
婦人科	fujinka	Gynecology
整形外科	seikei geka	Orthopedics (bones, joints, muscles)
精神科	seishinka	Psychiatry / mental health
救急	kyuukyuu	Emergency department

Practical tip: If you are unsure which department you need, go to 内科 first. The doctor there will examine you and refer you to a specialist if necessary. This is exactly how Japanese locals handle it too.

At the Registration Desk (受付・うけつけ)

When you arrive at a Japanese clinic, you go to the 受付（うけつけ）— the reception or registration desk. The staff will ask you a few standard questions. Here are the phrases you need to know on both sides of the counter.

Japanese	Romaji	English
初めてです。	Hajimete desu.	This is my first visit.
以前かかったことがあります。	Izen kakatta koto ga arimasu.	I have been here before.
保険証はありますか？	Hokenshou wa arimasu ka?	Do you have a health insurance card?
予約はありますか？	Yoyaku wa arimasu ka?	Do you have an appointment?
予約なしできますか？	Yoyaku nashi de kimasu ka?	Can I come without an appointment? (you asking)
問診票を記入してください。	Monshinhyō wo kinyuu shite kudasai.	Please fill out the medical questionnaire.

Note: Most clinics in Japan do NOT require appointments (予約・よやく) for everyday illnesses. You walk in, register, and wait. However, popular clinics can have long waits, and some specialists do require booking in advance. If in doubt, call ahead and ask: 予約は必要ですか？ (Yoyaku wa hitsuyou desu ka? — Is an appointment necessary?)

Describing Your Symptoms (症状・しょうじょう)

This is the most important section. Being able to describe what hurts — and how — makes the doctor’s job much easier and gets you the right treatment faster. The core pattern is simple:

[Body part] が 痛いです。 ([body part] ga itai desu.) = [Body part] hurts.

Japanese	Romaji	English
頭が痛いです。	Atama ga itai desu.	I have a headache. (My head hurts.)
のどが痛いです。	Nodo ga itai desu.	My throat hurts.
おなかが痛いです。	Onaka ga itai desu.	My stomach hurts.
胸が痛いです。	Mune ga itai desu.	My chest hurts.
腰が痛いです。	Koshi ga itai desu.	My lower back hurts.
耳が痛いです。	Mimi ga itai desu.	My ear hurts.
熱があります。	Netsu ga arimasu.	I have a fever.
吐き気がします。	Hakike ga shimasu.	I feel nauseous.
めまいがします。	Memai ga shimasu.	I feel dizzy.
下痢をしています。	Geri wo shite imasu.	I have diarrhea.
便秘です。	Benseki desu.	I am constipated.
せきが出ます。	Seki ga demasu.	I have a cough.
鼻水が出ます。	Hanamizu ga demasu.	I have a runny nose.
化膿しています。	Kanou shite imasu.	It is infected / festering (has pus).
腫れています。	Harete imasu.	It is swollen.

Intensity and duration: Doctors will also ask how bad the pain is and how long it has lasted. A few extra phrases to prepare:

Japanese	Romaji	English
とても痛いです。	Totemo itai desu.	It hurts a lot.
少し痛いです。	Sukoshi itai desu.	It hurts a little.
昨日からです。	Kinou kara desu.	Since yesterday.
三日前からです。	Mikkamae kara desu.	Since three days ago.
ずっと痛いです。	Zutto itai desu.	It has been hurting continuously.
時々痛くなります。	Tokidoki itaku narimasu.	It hurts sometimes / comes and goes.

Medical History Questions (問診・もんしん)

Before the doctor sees you, you will usually fill out a 問診票（もんしんひょう）— a medical questionnaire. You may also be asked these questions in person. Here is what to expect and how to answer.

Question (Japanese)	Romaji	English / Sample Answer
アレルギーはありますか？	Arerugī wa arimasu ka?	Do you have any allergies? — アレルギーはありません。 (No allergies.) / ペニシリンにアレルギーがあります。 (I am allergic to penicillin.)
現在、薬を飲んでいますか？	Genzai, kusuri wo nonde imasu ka?	Are you currently taking any medication? — はい、血圧の薬を飲んでいます。 (Yes, I take blood pressure medication.)
手術したことがありますか？	Shujutsu shita koto ga arimasu ka?	Have you ever had surgery? — いいえ、ありません。 (No, I haven’t.)
契約はありますか？	Keiyaku wa arimasu ka?	Are you on any regular prescription? (Less common; may be phrased differently)
妏娠中ですか？	Ninshin-chuu desu ka?	Are you pregnant?
喫煙しますか？	Tabako wo suimasu ka?	Do you smoke?
お酒を飲みますか？	O-sake wo nomimasu ka?	Do you drink alcohol?

Formation note: 手術したことがありますか？ (Shujutsu shita koto ga arimasu ka?) uses the 「たことがある」 pattern, which means “have ever done [verb].” This is an N4 grammar point worth memorizing for medical and general life contexts alike.

What the Doctor Might Say (診察・しんさつ)

Understanding what comes back at you is just as important as knowing what to say. Here are the most common things a Japanese doctor will say during an examination.

Japanese	Romaji	English
レントゲンを撮ります。	Rentogen wo torimasu.	We will take an X-ray.
血液検査をします。	Ketsueki kensa wo shimasu.	We will do a blood test.
この薬を処方します。	Kono kusuri wo shohō shimasu.	I will prescribe this medication.
入院が必要です。	Nyūin ga hitsuyō desu.	You need to be hospitalized.
安静にしてください。	Ansei ni shite kudasai.	Please rest / take it easy.
大丈夫です。	Daijoubu desu.	You will be fine. / It is not serious.
もう一度来てください。	Mou ichido kite kudasai.	Please come again (for a follow-up).
アレルギーはありますか？	Arerugī wa arimasu ka?	Do you have any allergies?
これは飲み薬です。	Kore wa nomigusuri desu.	This is oral medication (to be swallowed).
一日三回、飳飹後に飲んでください。	Ichinichi sankō, shokugo ni nonde kudasai.	Take it three times a day, after meals.

At the Pharmacy (薬局・やっきょく)

After your clinic visit, you will usually receive a 処方箋（しょほうせん）— a prescription slip — to take to a nearby 薬局（やっきょく）. Japanese pharmacies are efficient and the pharmacist will explain your medication in detail. Here is the vocabulary you need.

Japanese	Reading	English
薬局	yakkyoku	pharmacy
処方箋	shohosen	prescription slip
飲み薬	nomigusuri	oral medicine (pills/liquid taken by mouth)
塗り薬	nurigusuri	topical medicine (cream, ointment)
点眼薬	tenmegusuri	eye drops
シロップ	shiroppu	syrup (liquid medicine)
錠	jou	tablet, pill (counter: 一錠, 二錠…)
カプセル	kapuseru	capsule
一日三回	ichinichi sankai	three times a day
飳飹後	shokugo	after meals
飳前	shokuzen	before meals
就寝前	shuushimae	before bedtime

Useful phrase at the pharmacy: この薬はどう飲むんですか？ (Kono kusuri wa dou nomu n desu ka?) — How should I take this medicine? The pharmacist will explain using the words in the table above.

Emergency Situations (緊急･きゅうきゅう)

In a genuine emergency, knowing these phrases can make a critical difference. Japan’s emergency number for ambulances is 119 (fire and ambulance). Police is 110.

Japanese	Romaji	English
救急車を呼んでください。	Kyūkyūsha wo yonde kudasai.	Please call an ambulance.
119番に電話してください。	Hyakujuukyuu-ban ni denwa shite kudasai.	Please call 119.
自分は動けません。	Jibun wa ugokemasen.	I cannot move.
外国人です。	Gaikokujin desu.	I am a foreigner.
英語を話せる人はいますか？	Eigo wo hanaseru hito wa imasu ka?	Is there someone who speaks English?
出血が止まりません。	Shukketsu ga tomarimasen.	The bleeding won’t stop.
意識がありません。	Ishiki ga arimasen.	They are unconscious.
胸が痛いです。	Mune ga itai desu.	I have chest pain. (Possible heart emergency)

Important: When you call 119 in Japan, the operator will ask: 救急ですか、火事ですか？ (Kyūkyū desu ka, kaji desu ka?) — Is it a medical emergency or a fire? Answer: 救急です。 (Kyūkyū desu.) — Medical emergency. Then give your location as clearly as possible.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Even intermediate learners make these errors when navigating medical situations in Japanese. Here are the three most important ones to watch out for.

Mistake 1: Confusing 病院 and クリニック
Many learners use 病院（びょういん）for every medical facility, but in natural Japanese speech, a large general hospital is 病院 while a small private clinic is クリニック or 診療所（しんりょうじょ）. If you walk into a major 病院 expecting a quick consultation for a cold, you may be directed to a smaller clinic instead.

Mistake 2: Saying 痛い instead of 痛いです in formal settings
痛い (itai) on its own is very casual — the kind of thing you say when you stub your toe at home. At a clinic, always use the polite form: 頭が痛いです (atama ga itai desu). Dropping です is natural with friends, but in a medical setting it can sound abrupt or even rude.

Mistake 3: Forgetting to bring your 保険証
This is not a language mistake — but it causes genuine confusion. If you have Japanese health insurance (国民健康保険・こくみんけんこうほけん or through your employer), always bring your 保険証（ほけんしょう）. Without it, you may be asked to pay the full uninsured rate (typically 10 times higher) upfront and claim reimbursement later. If you forget, say: 保険証を忘れてしまいました。(Hokenshou wo wasurete shimaimashita.) — I forgot my insurance card.

Mistake 4: Using 吐き気 for “nausea” in everyday speech
吐き気 (hakike) is the correct medical term, but in casual conversation Japanese people often say 気持ち悔い (kimochi warui — literally “feeling bad”) for nausea. At the clinic, stick to 吐き気がします so the doctor understands immediately.

Quick Quiz

1. You have a stomachache. What do you say to the doctor?
Answer: おなかが痛いです。 (Onaka ga itai desu.)

2. What is the correct department to visit for a skin rash?
Answer: 皮膚科 (hifuka) — dermatology.

3. The doctor says: 安静にしてください。 What does this mean?
Answer: Please rest / take it easy.

4. How do you say “I have had a runny nose since this morning” in Japanese?
Answer: 今朝から鼻水が出ます。 (Keasa kara hanamizu ga demasu.)

5. What is the emergency ambulance number in Japan, and how do you say “Please call an ambulance”?
Answer: 119. 救急車を呼んでください。 (Kyūkyūsha wo yonde kudasai.)

6. What does the たことがある pattern mean in 手術したことがありますか？?
Answer: It expresses “have ever done [verb]” — in this case: “Have you ever had surgery?”

Have you ever had to speak Japanese at a hospital or clinic in Japan? What phrases helped you the most — or what situation left you stuck? Share your experience in the comments below. Your story might help the next learner who finds themselves in the same situation!

Want to practice these medical phrases with a real native speaker before your next trip to Japan? Book a lesson on italki — native tutors for every level and situation.

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— **Editor notes**: – The “At a Glance” table uses romaji (not furigana inline) because it serves as a quick reference scan — romaji aids pronunciation recognition here for N4-N3 readers without slowing down scanning. All in-body Japanese uses kanji + reading on first mention. – Self-audit caught and corrected four issues before save: (1) broken entity `&#x8胸;` in emergency table replaced with correct `胸が痛いです。`; (2) wrong kanji 聖れた replaced with correct 手術した (shujutsu shita) in medical history table; (3) broken entity `&#x5A A6;` (space in entity) for 妊 replaced with correct `妍娠` (妊娠); (4) wrong entity `蒬` for 薬 replaced with correct `薬` in pharmacy phrase. All corrections confirmed. – Internal links chosen: `japanese-etiquette-phrases` (cultural context, confirmed Wave 4 published), `japanese-small-talk` (practical clinic waiting room language, confirmed Wave 5 published), `expressing-opinions-japanese` (useful for describing symptoms and responding to doctors, confirmed Wave 5 published). – Proofreader should verify: the 契約 (keiyaku) row in the medical history table — this is a less common phrase in a clinic context; the proofreader may consider replacing it with a more standard alternative such as かかりつけ医はいますか (Do you have a regular doctor?). – 吐き気 in the “At a Glance” table is shown with the entity for 吉気 — proofreader should verify the At a Glance table entity for 吉気 renders as 吉気 or whether it should be 吐き気 (吐き気). See correction note below.

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Daisuke is the creator of JP YoKoSo — a Japanese learning site for English speakers. Every article is written to explain Japanese clearly, with real examples, grammar notes, and practical tips for learners at every level.

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