Japanese for the pharmacy: symptoms, medicine and the clinic
Being ill abroad is the moment vocabulary deserts you. These are the phrases for the drugstore counter, the words for what hurts, and what to say if you need a clinic rather than a box of tablets.
You are the customer, talking to a pharmacist or drugstore staff. Plain polite desu/masu, the same level as any other shop.
Saying what is wrong
体調が悪いです。
Taichou ga warui desu.
I don't feel well.
気分が悪い is narrower and usually means feeling sick or nauseous, so 体調 is the safer general word.
頭が痛いです。
Atama ga itai desu.
I have a headache.
喉が痛いです。
Nodo ga itai desu.
I have a sore throat.
熱があります。
Netsu ga arimasu.
I have a fever.
お腹が痛いです。
Onaka ga itai desu.
My stomach hurts.
二日前からです。
Futsuka mae kara desu.
It started two days ago.
The pharmacist asks いつからですか, since when. Symptoms are dated from a point rather than said to have started.
花粉症です。
Kafunshou desu.
I have hay fever.
A national preoccupation from February to April.
At the drugstore
風邪薬はありますか？
Kazegusuri wa arimasu ka?
Do you have something for a cold?
痛み止めはありますか？
Itamidome wa arimasu ka?
Do you have painkillers?
眠くならないものをお願いします。
Nemuku naranai mono o onegaishimasu.
Something that doesn't make you sleepy, please.
一日に何回飲めばいいですか？
Ichinichi ni nankai nomeba ii desu ka?
How many times a day should I take this?
Medicine is 飲む (nomu), literally drunk, even as tablets.
これは子供用ですか？
Kore wa kodomo you desu ka?
Is this for children?
これにアレルギーがあります。
Kore ni arerugii ga arimasu.
I'm allergic to this.
絆創膏はありますか？
Bansoukou wa arimasu ka?
Do you have plasters?
When you need a clinic
病院に行った方がいいですか？
Byouin ni itta hou ga ii desu ka?
Should I see a doctor?
Asking the pharmacist this is the normal move when you are unsure.
近くに病院かクリニックはありますか？
Chikaku ni byouin ka kurinikku wa arimasu ka?
Is there a clinic nearby?
病院 is a hospital and クリニック or 診療所 is a clinic. Naming both keeps the answer useful whichever is closer.
英語が話せる先生はいますか？
Eigo ga hanaseru sensei wa imasu ka?
Is there a doctor who speaks English?
海外旅行保険に入っています。
Kaigai ryokou hoken ni haitte imasu.
I have travel insurance.
保険用の領収書をもらえますか？
Hoken you no ryoushuusho o moraemasu ka?
Could I have a receipt for my insurance?
救急車を呼んでください。
Kyuukyuusha o yonde kudasai.
Please call an ambulance.
Ambulances are free in Japan. The emergency number is 119.
Wasei-eigo traps
バイキン (baikin) looks like Viking, or a bike, but means germs, bacteria
バイキン means germs. The buffet word is バイキング (baikingu), one syllable longer and a very different conversation.
デリケート (derikeeto) looks like delicate, but means sensitive or delicate, much like the English word
デリケートな肌 is sensitive skin and デリケートな問題 is a delicate matter, so this one overlaps with English rather than contradicting it. For a physically fragile object, 壊れやすい (kowareyasui) is clearer.
テンション (tenshon) looks like tension, stress, but means energy level, excitement, spirits
テンションが高い means excited or hyped up rather than tense, and テンションが低い is subdued. Actual stress is ストレス (sutoresu).
ドクターストップ (dokutaa sutoppu) looks like an emergency stop by a doctor, but means doctor's orders to stop something
Used for anything a doctor told you to give up, from alcohol to a sport. It is not a medical emergency.
カルテ (karute) looks like card, chart, but means medical record
From German Karte. Your カルテ is the file the clinic keeps on you, not a card you hold.
サプリ (sapuri) looks like supply, but means dietary supplement
Short for サプリメント. Vitamins and supplements are サプリ; medicine is 薬 (kusuri), and the two sit on different shelves.
FAQ
Common questions
Short answers to what people ask most about this situation.
Can I buy the medicine I use at home?
Often not in the same form. Japanese cold and pain medicine is frequently sold at lower doses than in Europe or the US, and some common Western drugs are prescription-only or banned outright. Bring what you rely on, with the packaging.
Is it true some medicines are illegal to bring into Japan?
Yes, and this catches travellers out. Stimulants and some decongestant ingredients have been restricted, and certain ADHD medication is not allowed in at all. The lists change, so check the current Japanese customs and health ministry guidance before you fly. For a longer stay with prescription medicine you may also need a Yakkan Shoumei import certificate arranged in advance.
What is the difference between a drugstore and a pharmacy?
A ドラッグストア sells over-the-counter medicine, cosmetics and snacks. A 調剤薬局 (chouzai yakkyoku) fills prescriptions and usually sits next door to a clinic. For a prescription, you need the second one.
How much does seeing a doctor cost without Japanese insurance?
Several thousand yen upwards for a straightforward clinic visit, usually paid in full on the day, with the exact amount depending on the clinic and what is done. Keep the 領収書 (receipt) and the itemised statement, since travel insurers reimburse only against those documents.