The aches, the sneezing, the sore throat, the exhaustion — the flu season is here and you want to be prepared! In Beijing, you can buy over-the-counter (OTC) medicines such as headache and stomach remedies as well as common personal care items from international clinics or pharmacies. Compared to international clinics, pharmacies are easier to find at almost every corner, so are more convenient to buy medicines in an urgent situation. Though finding a pharmacy may be easy, finding English-speaking staff in pharmacies is not, and when you walk into a pharmacy you might not see any brands you know. Here are some basic symptoms, names of cold medicines, and sentences you might need to use when talking to the pharmacist.
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READ MORE: How to Buy Generic Medicines From Chinese Pharmacies
Symptoms
Runny nose 流鼻涕 liúbítì
Scratchy throat 喉咙痒 sǎngziyǎng
Sore throat 喉咙疼 sǎngziténg
Sneeze 打喷嚏 dǎpēngtì
Cough 咳嗽 késòu
Headache 头疼 tóuténg
Tiredness 疲倦 píjuàn
Body aches 身体酸疼 shēntǐ suānténg
Yellow or green mucus 黄色或绿色鼻涕 huángsè huò lǜsè bítì
Fever 发烧 fāshāo
Cold Medicines
Fortunately there are the generic names of drugs in English on most Chinese medicine boxes, but the directions and precautions might be all in Chinese. Make sure to ask the pharmacist about the instructions before you purchase the medicine.
Tylenol 泰诺 tàinuò
Tylenol Extra Strength 加强型泰诺 jiāqiángxíng tàinuò
Sudafed 速达菲 sùdáfēi
Anti-histamine medicine 抗组织胺药物 kàngzǔzhī ān yàowù
Aleve 萘普生 nàipǔshēng
Nasal decongestant 鼻喷剂 bípēngjì
DayQuil and NyQuil 白加黑 báijiāhēi
Sentences
I feel _______.
Wǒ gǎnjué 我感觉 _______。
I have a headache.
Wǒ tóuténg. 我头疼。
I want to buy _______.
Wǒ xiáng mǎi _______. 我想买 _______。
How many pills should I take per day?
Měitiān xūyào chī duōshǎo kē yào? 每天需要吃多少颗药?
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