Japanese Medical Vocabulary for Clinics, Symptoms and Care

Whether you live in Japan, work with Japanese patients, or simply want to explain symptoms clearly, medical vocabulary is one of the most practical parts of Japanese to learn. A clinic visit moves quickly, and knowing how to say where it hurts, what kind of test is being discussed, and which department to visit can save a lot of confusion.

This guide organizes useful Japanese medical and health vocabulary by the situations people actually face: reception, symptoms, body parts, hospital departments, and treatment terms. If you want a broader look at care in the country, see our guide to hospitals and clinics in Japan. For disease names that appear often in public health news, the article on major contagious and deadly diseases in Japan also helps.

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Core medical vocabulary you hear at clinics

These are the terms that appear on reception forms, prescriptions, and short exchanges with staff. Once you know them, the rest of the visit becomes much easier to follow.

• 病院 (byōin) - hospital
• クリニック (kurinikku) - clinic
• 医者 (isha) - doctor
• 看護師 (kangoshi) - nurse
• 薬剤師 (yakuzai-shi) - pharmacist
• 患者 (kanja) - patient
• 診察 (shinsatsu) - medical examination or consultation
• 問診票 (monshin-hyō) - medical questionnaire
• 処方箋 (shohōsen) - prescription
• 検査 (kensa) - test or examination
• 採血 (saiketsu) - blood draw
• レントゲン (rentogen) - X-ray
• 血圧 (ketsuatsu) - blood pressure
• アレルギー (arerugī) - allergy
• 薬局 (yakkyoku) - pharmacy

Useful symptom words in Japanese

Many medical conversations in Japan start with a simple description of symptoms, followed by when they began and whether they are getting worse. These are some of the most useful words to keep ready.

• 頭が痛い (atama ga itai) - I have a headache
• 熱がある (netsu ga aru) - I have a fever
• 寒気がする (samuke ga suru) - I have chills
• めまいがする (memai ga suru) - I feel dizzy
• 吐き気がする (hakike ga suru) - I feel nauseous
• 胸が痛い (mune ga itai) - I have chest pain
• 息切れがする (ikigire ga suru) - I am short of breath
• お腹が痛い (onaka ga itai) - I have a stomachache
• 下痢をしている (geri o shiteiru) - I have diarrhea
• 咳が出る (seki ga deru) - I have a cough
• のどが痛い (nodo ga itai) - I have a sore throat
• 鼻が詰まる (hana ga tsumaru) - I have a stuffy nose

It also helps to know the doctor may ask いつからですか？ (itsu kara desu ka?), which means “Since when?” or “When did it start?” That single question appears all the time in clinics and emergency visits.

Hospital departments and specialists

In Japan, you often choose the department before the consultation. Learning these names is useful when you need to book a visit or explain where your problem belongs.

• 内科 (naika) - internal medicine
• 外科 (geka) - surgery
• 小児科 (shōnika) - pediatrics
• 皮膚科 (hifuka) - dermatology
• 耳鼻咽喉科 (jibiinkōka) - ear, nose and throat
• 眼科 (ganka) - ophthalmology
• 整形外科 (seikei geka) - orthopedics
• 産婦人科 (sanfujinka) - obstetrics and gynecology
• 泌尿器科 (hinyōkika) - urology
• 歯科 (shika) - dentistry

If you are unsure where to go, learning both the symptom and the department name makes the conversation much smoother. Someone with a skin rash, for example, may hear 皮膚科, while throat pain or ear trouble often points to 耳鼻咽喉科.

Body parts and anatomy terms that matter most

You do not need every anatomy word to get through a doctor visit, but a few body-part terms are extremely practical because they combine naturally with ...が痛い and other symptom patterns.

• 頭 (atama) - head
• 目 (me) - eyes
• 耳 (mimi) - ears
• 鼻 (hana) - nose
• のど (nodo) - throat
• 胸 (mune) - chest
• お腹 (onaka) - stomach or abdomen
• 背中 (senaka) - back
• 腰 (koshi) - lower back
• 膝 (hiza) - knee
• 心臓 (shinzō) - heart
• 肺 (hai) - lungs

Once you know these combinations, it becomes easier to build useful sentences such as 胸が痛い for chest pain or お腹が痛い for stomach pain instead of trying to explain everything with one vague word.

Medicine and treatment vocabulary in Japanese

After the diagnosis, conversations usually move to tests, medication, and treatment instructions. These terms appear often on prescriptions, pharmacy bags, and aftercare explanations.

• 薬 (kusuri) - medicine
• 鎮痛剤 (chintsū-zai) - painkiller
• 抗生物質 (kōsei busshitsu) - antibiotic
• ワクチン (wakuchin) - vaccine
• 注射 (chūsha) - injection
• 点滴 (tenteki) - IV drip
• 麻酔 (masui) - anesthesia
• 手術 (shujutsu) - surgery
• 処置 (shochi) - treatment or medical procedure
• 入院 (nyūin) - hospitalization
• 食前 (shokuzen) - before meals
• 食後 (shokugo) - after meals
• 頓服 (tonpuku) - take as needed

Useful Japanese phrases for going to the doctor

Short phrases that are genuinely useful

Vocabulary lists help, but short phrases are what make you understandable in a real appointment. Even a few simple sentences can turn a stressful visit into a manageable conversation.

• どうしましたか？ (dō shimashita ka?) - What seems to be the problem?
• 予約を取りたいんですが。 (yoyaku o toritai n desu ga.) - I would like to make an appointment.
• 今日はどうなさいましたか？ (kyō wa dō nasaimashita ka?) - What brings you here today?
• 薬を出しておきますね。 (kusuri o dashite okimasu ne.) - I will prescribe some medicine for you.
• 救急車を呼んでください。 (kyūkyūsha o yonde kudasai.) - Please call an ambulance.

If you are learning Japanese for daily life rather than professional medical work, focus first on symptoms, body parts, and prescription language. Those are the terms you are most likely to use quickly, remember well, and hear again in real situations.