
How to effective communicate symptoms in Chinese during emergencies
To effectively communicate symptoms in Chinese during emergencies, it is important to know key medical and symptom-related phrases and how to describe symptoms clearly and succinctly. Here are some guidelines and common phrases that can help:
Basic Strategy for Communicating Symptoms
- Start by clearly stating the main symptom(s) you or the patient are experiencing.
- Use simple descriptive words about the symptom such as severity, duration, and associated feelings.
- If possible, describe the location of the symptom or any related events (e.g., injury, accident).
- Confirm understanding by repeating critical points or using yes/no questions.
Common Emergency-Related Symptom Phrases in Chinese
- 我感到头痛 (I have a headache)
- 我发烧了 (I have a fever)
- 我呼吸困难 (I have difficulty breathing)
- 我胸口疼 (I have chest pain)
- 我晕倒了 (I fainted)
- 我胃痛和恶心 (I have stomach pain and nausea)
- 我受伤了 (I am injured)
- 我一直呕吐 (I keep vomiting)
- 我有过敏反应 (I am having an allergic reaction)
- 我不能动我的腿 (I cannot move my leg)
Emergency Questions to Know
- 你觉得哪里不舒服? (Where do you feel uncomfortable?)
- 疼痛有多严重? (How severe is the pain?)
- 你有过这种症状吗? (Have you had these symptoms before?)
- 你是否对药物或食物过敏? (Are you allergic to any medication or food?)
- 你最近受过伤吗? (Have you been injured recently?)
Additional Tips
- Speak slowly and clearly.
- Use simple terms; avoid complex medical jargon.
- Use gestures to complement communication if language is limited.
- Carry a symptom phrasebook or use an app with pre-translated emergency phrases if possible.
These phrases and tips are based on common approaches to medical emergency communication in Chinese and can significantly aid in conveying important health information during urgent situations. 1, 2, 3
References
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Enhancing unsupervised medical entity linking with multi-instance learning
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An automatic approach for constructing a knowledge base of symptoms in Chinese
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Patient-physician communication in the emergency department in Taiwan: physicians’ perspectives
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Translation and Expression of Professional Terms of Public Emergencies in External Reports
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Hospital Emergency Management of Emerging Infectious Disease using Instant Communication Technology
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COVID-19-Combating English with Chinese Characteristics in the CAT’s Translations