Medical situations are one of the higher-stakes contexts in which language learners find themselves in Japan. Clinics, pharmacies, and hospitals rely on fairly consistent vocabulary, and being able to name the body part that hurts, describe a symptom, and understand a prescription instruction makes a meaningful difference in the quality of care received. Japanese medical vocabulary draws on two layers: the native Japanese names for body parts and common ailments, and a Sino-Japanese (kanji compound) layer used in formal medical terminology. Both are worth learning because signs, forms, and pharmacy labels use kanji compounds even when patients speak in native words.
This reference covers body parts from head to toe, core medical vocabulary including doctors, hospitals, and medicines, descriptions of common symptoms, pharmacy phrases, and practical dialogues for a clinic visit. Cultural notes address Japan's health care system, the role of the pharmacist, and the politeness conventions of medical interactions.
All entries give the Japanese (kanji and hiragana), Hepburn romaji, and English. The vocabulary is arranged topically.
Body Parts: Head and Face
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 頭 | atama | head |
| 顔 | kao | face |
| 髪 | kami | hair |
| 目 | me | eye |
| 眉 | mayu | eyebrow |
| まつげ | matsuge | eyelash |
| 鼻 | hana | nose |
| 口 | kuchi | mouth |
| 唇 | kuchibiru | lip |
| 歯 | ha | tooth |
| 舌 | shita | tongue |
| 耳 | mimi | ear |
| 頬 | hoo | cheek |
| 顎 | ago | chin / jaw |
| 額 | hitai | forehead |
The kanji 目 (me) also appears in compounds such as 目薬 (megusuri, eye drops) and 目覚まし時計 (mezamashi dokei, alarm clock, literally "eye-awakening clock").
Body Parts: Torso and Limbs
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 首 | kubi | neck |
| 肩 | kata | shoulder |
| 背中 | senaka | back |
| 腕 | ude | arm |
| 肘 | hiji | elbow |
| 手 | te | hand |
| 手首 | tekubi | wrist |
| 指 | yubi | finger |
| 爪 | tsume | nail |
| 胸 | mune | chest |
| お腹 | onaka | belly |
| お尻 | oshiri | buttocks |
| 腰 | koshi | lower back / hip |
| 脚 / 足 | ashi | leg / foot |
| 膝 | hiza | knee |
| 足首 | ashikubi | ankle |
| つま先 | tsumasaki | toe / toe tip |
The word 足 (ashi) can mean either "leg" or "foot" depending on context; 脚 is the more specific word for "leg" but is less common in speech.
Internal Organs and Anatomy
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 骨 | hone | bone |
| 筋肉 | kinniku | muscle |
| 皮膚 | hifu | skin |
| 心臓 | shinzou | heart |
| 肺 | hai | lungs |
| 胃 | i | stomach |
| 腸 | chou | intestine |
| 肝臓 | kanzou | liver |
| 腎臓 | jinzou | kidney |
| 脳 | nou | brain |
| 血 | chi | blood |
| 血液 | ketsueki | blood (medical term) |
| 神経 | shinkei | nerve |
| 関節 | kansetsu | joint |
The distinction between 血 and 血液 illustrates the native / Sino-Japanese layering. 血 is common speech; 血液 appears on test reports, labels, and in formal medical discussion.
Medical Vocabulary: People and Places
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 医者 | isha | doctor |
| お医者さん | oisha san | doctor (polite) |
| 医師 | ishi | physician (formal) |
| 看護師 | kangoshi | nurse |
| 歯医者 | haisha | dentist |
| 薬剤師 | yakuzaishi | pharmacist |
| 患者 | kanja | patient |
| 病院 | byouin | hospital |
| クリニック | kurinikku | clinic |
| 診療所 | shinryoujo | clinic (formal) |
| 薬局 | yakkyoku | pharmacy |
| ドラッグストア | doraggu sutoa | drug store |
| 救急車 | kyuukyuusha | ambulance |
| 救急外来 | kyuukyuu gairai | emergency room |
| 内科 | naika | internal medicine |
| 外科 | geka | surgery |
| 小児科 | shounika | pediatrics |
| 産婦人科 | sanfujinka | obstetrics and gynecology |
| 眼科 | ganka | ophthalmology |
| 耳鼻科 | jibika | ear-nose-throat |
| 皮膚科 | hifuka | dermatology |
| 歯科 | shika | dental |
Medical Vocabulary: Illness and Symptoms
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 病気 | byouki | illness |
| 風邪 | kaze | cold |
| インフルエンザ | infuruenza | influenza |
| 熱 | netsu | fever |
| 咳 | seki | cough |
| 頭痛 | zutsuu | headache |
| 腹痛 | fukutsuu | stomach pain |
| 吐き気 | hakike | nausea |
| 下痢 | geri | diarrhea |
| 便秘 | benpi | constipation |
| 花粉症 | kafunshou | hay fever |
| アレルギー | arerugii | allergy |
| 怪我 | kega | injury |
| 骨折 | kossetsu | bone fracture |
| 火傷 | yakedo | burn |
| 打撲 | daboku | bruise / contusion |
| 血圧 | ketsuatsu | blood pressure |
| 高血圧 | kouketsuatsu | high blood pressure |
| 糖尿病 | tounyoubyou | diabetes |
| 感染 | kansen | infection |
| ウイルス | uirusu | virus |
The word 風邪 (kaze) literally means "wind" and reflects an older East Asian understanding of illness as caused by exposure to bad air. The same character appears in 風 (kaze, wind) as a general noun.
Describing Symptoms
The fundamental pattern for expressing pain is:
[body part] が 痛いです ([body part] ga itai desu) - my [body part] hurts.
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 頭が痛いです | atama ga itai desu | my head hurts |
| お腹が痛いです | onaka ga itai desu | my stomach hurts |
| 歯が痛いです | ha ga itai desu | my tooth hurts |
| 背中が痛いです | senaka ga itai desu | my back hurts |
| 喉が痛いです | nodo ga itai desu | my throat hurts |
| 目が痛いです | me ga itai desu | my eyes hurt |
Other common ways to describe feeling unwell:
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 具合が悪いです | guai ga warui desu | I feel unwell |
| 気分が悪いです | kibun ga warui desu | I feel sick |
| だるいです | darui desu | I feel lethargic / heavy |
| 熱があります | netsu ga arimasu | I have a fever |
| 咳が出ます | seki ga demasu | I have a cough |
| めまいがします | memai ga shimasu | I feel dizzy |
| 吐き気がします | hakike ga shimasu | I feel nauseous |
| 食欲がありません | shokuyoku ga arimasen | I have no appetite |
| 眠れません | nemuremasen | I cannot sleep |
| 息苦しいです | ikigurushii desu | I have trouble breathing |
Learning note: The construction ...がします is used for sensory experiences (sounds, smells, feelings) and symptoms. めまいがする literally means "dizziness is happening". It does not translate word for word but should be memorized as a set phrase.
Clinic Dialogue
A typical dialogue at a Japanese internal medicine clinic.
At reception:
- Receptionist: 今日はどうなさいましたか (kyou wa dou nasaimashita ka) - what brings you in today
- Patient: 風邪を引いたと思います (kaze wo hiita to omoimasu) - I think I caught a cold
With the doctor:
- Doctor: どこが痛いですか (doko ga itai desu ka) - where does it hurt
- Patient: 喉が痛くて、咳が出ます (nodo ga itakute, seki ga demasu) - my throat hurts and I have a cough
- Doctor: 熱はありますか (netsu wa arimasu ka) - do you have a fever
- Patient: 昨日から37度8分です (kinou kara sanjuunanado hachibu desu) - since yesterday 37.8 degrees
- Doctor: 薬を出しますね (kusuri wo dashimasu ne) - I will prescribe medicine
At the pharmacy:
- Pharmacist: 一日三回、食後に飲んでください (ichi nichi san kai, shokugo ni nonde kudasai) - take it three times a day after meals
- Pharmacist: 副作用がある場合はご相談ください (fukusayou ga aru baai wa gosoudan kudasai) - if there are side effects, please consult us
Medicines and Treatment
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 薬 | kusuri | medicine |
| 飲み薬 | nomigusuri | oral medicine |
| 塗り薬 | nurigusuri | topical ointment |
| 目薬 | megusuri | eye drops |
| 痛み止め | itamidome | painkiller |
| 風邪薬 | kazegusuri | cold medicine |
| 胃薬 | igusuri | stomach medicine |
| 抗生物質 | kouseibusshitsu | antibiotics |
| 錠剤 | jouzai | tablet |
| カプセル | kapuseru | capsule |
| 粉薬 | konagusuri | powder medicine |
| シロップ | shiroppu | syrup |
| 処方箋 | shohousen | prescription |
| 副作用 | fukusayou | side effect |
| 注射 | chuusha | injection |
| 手術 | shujutsu | surgery |
| 入院 | nyuuin | hospitalization |
| 退院 | taiin | discharge |
| 診察 | shinsatsu | medical examination |
| レントゲン | rentogen | X-ray |
| 血液検査 | ketsueki kensa | blood test |
Usage instructions on prescriptions follow standard abbreviations:
- 食前 (shokuzen) - before meals
- 食後 (shokugo) - after meals
- 食間 (shokkan) - between meals
- 就寝前 (shuushin mae) - before bedtime
- 頓服 (tonpuku) - as needed
Emergency Phrases
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 救急車を呼んでください | kyuukyuusha wo yonde kudasai | call an ambulance |
| 助けてください | tasukete kudasai | please help |
| 意識がありません | ishiki ga arimasen | (they) have no consciousness |
| 倒れました | taoremashita | (they) collapsed |
| 息をしていません | iki wo shite imasen | (they) are not breathing |
| アレルギーがあります | arerugii ga arimasu | I have an allergy |
| ...に対するアレルギーがあります | ... ni taisuru arerugii ga arimasu | I am allergic to ... |
| 妊娠しています | ninshin shite imasu | I am pregnant |
| 持病があります | jibyou ga arimasu | I have a chronic illness |
The number 119 is used for fire and ambulance. 110 is used for police.
Health Checkups and Preventive Care
| Japanese | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|
| 健康診断 | kenkou shindan | health checkup |
| 人間ドック | ningen dokku | comprehensive health screening |
| 予防接種 | yobou sesshu | vaccination |
| ワクチン | wakuchin | vaccine |
| 検査 | kensa | test / examination |
| 診察券 | shinsatsuken | patient card |
| 保険証 | hokenshou | health insurance card |
Japan's annual 健康診断 is provided through employers for workers and through the National Health Insurance system for others. It is a standard part of Japanese health culture and usually includes blood tests, blood pressure measurement, chest X-ray, and a weight check.
Cultural note: The ningen dokku ("human dry dock") is a more thorough screening, often taken voluntarily at ages 40 and above. The playful metaphor likens the human body to a ship being inspected in dry dock.
Common Mistakes
- Using を instead of が with 痛い. The correct pattern is [body part] が 痛い. 頭を痛いです is wrong.
- Confusing 薬 (kusuri) and 薬局 (yakkyoku). 薬 is the medicine itself; 薬局 is the pharmacy where it is purchased.
- Saying "doctor" as お医者 without さん. The polite spoken form is お医者さん.
- Translating "I am sick" as 私は病気です. While grammatically possible, native speakers more often say 体調が悪い (taichou ga warui) or 具合が悪い.
- Using 足 for foot only. 足 covers leg and foot; specify 足首 (ankle) or つま先 (toes) when needed.
- Forgetting insurance card at clinic. Residents must bring 保険証 (hokenshou) to every visit to avoid paying full price up front.
Quick Reference
- My [body part] hurts: [body part] が痛いです
- I have a fever: 熱があります (netsu ga arimasu)
- I feel unwell: 具合が悪いです (guai ga warui desu)
- I have an allergy: アレルギーがあります (arerugii ga arimasu)
- Call an ambulance: 救急車を呼んでください (kyuukyuusha wo yonde kudasai)
- Doctor: 医者 (isha) / お医者さん (oisha san)
- Hospital: 病院 (byouin)
- Pharmacy: 薬局 (yakkyoku)
- Medicine: 薬 (kusuri)
- After meals: 食後 (shokugo)
- Three times a day: 一日三回 (ichi nichi san kai)
See Also
- Japanese Common Phrases: Daily Conversation Reference
- Japanese Colors and Descriptive Adjectives
- Japanese Counting: Numbers and Counters Guide
- Japanese Counters and Classifiers
- Japanese Kanji: Stroke Order, Radicals, Reading
- Japanese Keigo: Honorific Language
- Hiragana Complete Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 医者 and 医師?
Both mean 'doctor'. 医師 (ishi) is the formal term used on credentials and in medical-professional contexts. 医者 (isha) is the everyday word patients use when talking about their doctor. お医者さん (oisha san) is the polite spoken form.
How do I say a specific body part hurts?
Use the pattern [body part] が痛いです (ga itai desu). For example: 頭が痛いです (atama ga itai desu, my head hurts), お腹が痛いです (onaka ga itai desu, my stomach hurts). The particle が marks the hurting part.
What is 熱 in a medical context?
熱 (netsu) means 'fever' when discussing illness. 熱があります (netsu ga arimasu) means 'I have a fever'. Body temperature is 体温 (taion), measured with a 体温計 (taionkei). Japanese fever is considered notable from about 37.5 degrees Celsius.
Where do I go for non-emergency medical care?
Most non-emergency care is provided at clinics (クリニック, kurinikku) or small hospitals (病院, byouin). Emergencies go to the 救急外来 (kyuukyuu gairai, ER). Pharmacies are 薬局 (yakkyoku) or ドラッグストア (doraggu sutoa). Pharmacist-dispensed medicines require a prescription (処方箋, shohousen).
How do I describe symptoms without exact medical terms?
Combine body part + 痛い (itai, hurts), or use 具合が悪い (guai ga warui, I feel unwell), 気分が悪い (kibun ga warui, I feel bad), だるい (darui, lethargic), めまいがする (memai ga suru, I feel dizzy). These phrases cover most of what a Japanese doctor needs to begin a diagnosis.
Are over-the-counter medicines strong in Japan?
Japanese over-the-counter medicines tend to be milder than their US equivalents. Cold medicine 風邪薬 (kazegusuri), painkillers 痛み止め (itamidome), and stomach medicine 胃薬 (igusuri) are widely available. For chronic conditions, a prescription is needed.
Is Japanese health insurance available to foreigners?
Yes. Residents of Japan, including foreigners on long-term visas, enroll in 国民健康保険 (kokumin kenkou hoken, National Health Insurance) or an employer-based plan. Insurance covers 70 percent of standard costs; patients pay 30 percent at the clinic. Tourists pay full price and should carry travel insurance.
