If you are studying medicine or working in the health field, it is important to know the specific technical vocabulary of Japan. This can help you communicate better with Japanese colleagues, better understand patient instructions and notes, and provide quality medical care.
In this article, we will present some of the main words related to medicine and health in Japanese, separated by categories, to help you expand your vocabulary and improve your communication skills in Japanese.
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Table of Contents
General Medical Terms in Japanese
Below we include a list of medical terms in Japanese that may be useful for those working in the health field or for those needing medical assistance. These terms can help better understand medical conditions, examinations, and treatments, as well as communication with health professionals.
- 医者 (isha) – doctor
- 看護師 (kangoshi) – nurse
- 医療 (iryō) – medical care
- 病気 (byōki) – disease
- 治療 (chiryō) – treatment
- 診察 (shinsatsu) – medical examination
- 処方箋 (shohōsen) – medical prescription
- 症状 (shōjō) – symptom
- 医学 (igaku) – medicine
- 看護 (kango) – nursing
- 薬剤師 (yakuzai-shi) – pharmacist
- 看護記録 (kango kiroku) – nursing record
- 疾患 (shikkan) – disease / medical condition
- 検査 (kensa) – examination / test
- 看取り (kantori) – palliative care
- 死亡診断書 (shibō shindan-sho) – death certificate
- 感染症 (kansensho) – infectious disease
- 精神障害 (seishin shōgai) – mental disorder
- 疾患 (shikkan) – medical condition
- 診断 (shindan) – diagnosis
- 予防接種 (yobō sesshu) – preventive vaccination
- 手術室 (shujutsu-shitsu) – operating room
- リハビリテーション (rihabiritēshon) – rehabilitation
- ドナー (donā) – donor
- レントゲン (rentogen) – X-ray
- フルネーション (furunēshon) – deep inspiration and forced expiration breathing
- 心電図 (shin denzu) – electrocardiogram
- 血液型 (ketsueki-gata) – blood type
- 検査 (kensa) – examination
- 看護 (kango) – nursing
- ホスピタル (hosupitaru) – hospital
- メディカル (medikaru) – medical
- スタッフ (sutaffu) – staff
- 保健所 (hokenjo) – health center
- 薬局 (yakkyoku) – pharmacy
- 在宅医療 (zaitaku iryō) – home medical care
- 患者 (kanja) – patient
Medical Specialties in Japanese
Medicine is a vast and complex field, with various medical specialties. Below we have a list of medical specialties in Japanese, to better understand the different areas of medicine and the diseases and conditions each one treats.
- 歯科医 (shika-i) – dentist
- 小児科医 (shōnika-i) – pediatrician
- 内科医 (naika-i) – internist
- 外科医 (geka-i) – surgeon
- 眼科医 (ganka-i) – ophthalmologist
- 耳鼻咽喉科医 (jibiinkōka-i) – otorhinolaryngologist
- 皮膚科医 (hifuka-i) – dermatologist
- 精神科医 (seishinka-i) – psychiatrist
- 循環器科医 (junkan-ki ka-i) – cardiologist
- 消化器科医 (shōkaki ka-i) – gastroenterologist
- 神経内科医 (shinkei naika-i) – neurologist
- 脳神経外科医 (nōshinkei geka-i) – neurosurgeon
- 泌尿器科医 (hinyōkika-i) – urologist
- 腫瘍内科医 (shuyō naika-i) – oncologist
- 整形外科医 (seikei geka-i) – orthopedist
- 放射線科医 (hōshasenka-i) – radiologist
- リハビリテーション医 (rihabiritēshon-i) – physiatrist / rehabilitation doctor
- 麻酔科医 (masui-ka-i) – anesthesiologist
- 産科医 (sanka-i) – obstetrician
- 看護師 (kangoshi) – nurse
- 耳鼻喉科 (jibiinkōka) – otorhinolaryngology
- 麻酔科 (masuika) – anesthesiology
- 心臓血管外科 (shinzō kekkan geka) – cardiovascular surgery
- 眼科 (ganka) – ophthalmology
- 小児外科 (shōnika geka) – pediatric surgery
- スポーツ医学 (supōtsu igaku) – sports medicine
- 呼吸器科 (kokyūkika) – pulmonology
- 皮膚科 (hifuka) – dermatology
- 緩和ケア (kanwa kea) – palliative care
- 泌尿器科 (hinyōkika) – urology
- 産婦人科 (sanfujinka) – gynecology and obstetrics
- 栄養士 (eiyōshi) – nutritionist
- 救急医療 (kyūkyū iryō) – emergency medicine
- 災害医療 (saigai iryō) – disaster medicine
- 看護学 (kangogaku) – nursing
- 薬剤師 (yakuzaishi) – pharmacist
- 臨床検査技師 (rinshō kensa gishi) – clinical laboratory technician
- 放射線技師 (hōshasen gishi) – radiology technician
- 臨床心理士 (rinshō shinri-shi) – clinical psychologist
Diseases in Japanese
Diseases affect millions of people worldwide with a significant impact on health and quality of life. In this topic, we include a list of common diseases in Japanese.
- 癌 (gan) – cancer
- 肺炎 (haien) – pneumonia
- 糖尿病 (tōnyōbyō) – diabetes mellitus
- 慢性閉塞性肺疾患 (mansei heisoku-sei hai shikkan) – chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
- 肝炎 (kanen) – hepatitis
- 感染症 (kansenshō) – infectious disease
- アレルギー (arerugī) – allergy
- 狭心症 (kyōshinshō) – angina
- 動脈硬化症 (dōmyaku kōkashō) – atherosclerosis
- 高血圧 (kōketsuatsu) – high blood pressure
- 心不全 (shin fuzen) – heart failure
- 脳梗塞 (nōkōsoku) – ischemic stroke (CVA)
- アルツハイマー病 (arutsuhaimā byō) – Alzheimer’s disease
- 精神障害 (seishin shōgai) – mental disorder
- 前立腺がん (zenritsuen gan) – prostate cancer
- 統合失調症 (tōgō shitsujōshō) – schizophrenia
- うつ病 (utsu byō) – depression
- 認知症 (ninchi shō) – dementia
- 過敏性腸症候群 (kabinsei chō shōkōgun) – irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- 喘息 (zensoku) – asthma
- アトピー性皮膚炎 (atopī-sei hifuen) – atopic dermatitis
- 関節炎 (kansetsu-en) – arthritis
- 痛風 (tsūfū) – gout
- アルコール依存症 (arukōru ison-shō) – alcoholism
- てんかん (tenkan) – epilepsy
- 失調症 (shitchōshō) – balance disorder
- 運動失調 (undōshitchō) – ataxia
- パーキンソン病 (pākinson-byō) – Parkinson’s disease
- クローン病 (kurōn-byō) – Crohn’s disease
- 消化性潰瘍 (shōkasei kaiyō) – peptic ulcer
- 緑内障 (ryokunai shō) – glaucoma
- 乾癬 (kanzen) – psoriasis
- 脊椎疾患 (sekitsui shikkan) – spinal disease
- 自己免疫疾患 (jiko men’eki shikkan) – autoimmune disease
- 睡眠時無呼吸症候群 (suimin-ji mukokyū shōkōgun) – obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS)
- メニエール病 (meniēru-byō) – Meniere’s disease
- 網膜剥離 (mōmaku hakuri) – retinal detachment
- ぜんそく性気管支炎 (zensoku-sei kikan-shien) – asthmatic bronchitis
- 膠原病 (kōgen-byō) – collagen disease
- 巨大細胞動脈炎 (kyodai saibō dōmyaku en) – giant cell arteritis
Anatomy in Japanese
Anatomy is the study of the structures of the human body and their relationships. Below we include a list of anatomy terms in Japanese that may be useful for better understanding the human body and its parts, such as bones, muscles, organs, tissues, and systems.
- 頭 (atama) – head
- 胸 (mune) – thorax
- 肋骨 (rokkotsu) – rib
- お腹 (onaka) – abdomen
- 腎臓 (jinzō) – kidney
- 肝臓 (kanzō) – liver
- 膵臓 (suizō) – pancreas
- 大腸 (daichō) – colon
- 小腸 (shōchō) – small intestine
- 膀胱 (bōkō) – bladder
- 子宮 (shikyū) – uterus
- 卵巣 (ransō) – ovary
- 睾丸 (kōgan) – testicle
- 背中 (senaka) – back
- 腰 (koshi) – lower back
- 骨盤 (kokan) – pelvis
- 足首 (ashikubi) – ankle
- 膝 (hiza) – knee
- 大腿骨 (daitaikotsu) – femur
- 肩甲骨 (kōkōkotsu) – scapula
- 鎖骨 (sakotsu) – clavicle
- 橈骨 (tōkotsu) – radius
- 尺骨 (shakkotsu) – ulna
- 骨髄 (kotsuzui) – bone marrow
- 筋肉 (kin’niku) – muscle
- 神経 (shinkei) – nerve
- 血管 (ketsugan) – blood vessel
Medications and Treatments in Japanese
Medications and treatments are important tools for treating and preventing diseases and improving people’s health. Here is a list of common medications and treatments in Japanese.
- 抗生物質 (kōsei butsushitsu) – antibiotic
- 鎮痛剤 (chintsūzai) – analgesic
- 抗うつ剤 (kōutsu-zai) – antidepressant
- 利尿剤 (rin’yō-zai) – diuretic
- 抗ヒスタミン剤 (kō hisutamin-zai) – antihistamine
- 抗がん剤 (kō gan-zai) – chemotherapy
- 血栓溶解療法 (kessen yōkai ryōhō) – thrombolysis therapy
- 抗不安剤 (kō fuan-zai) – anxiolytic
- 抗炎症剤 (kō enshō-zai) – anti-inflammatory
- 静脈注射 (jōmyaku chūsha) – intravenous injection
- 皮下注射 (hika chūsha) – subcutaneous injection
- 経口投与 (keikō tōyo) – oral administration
- 点滴 (tenteki) – intravenous drip
- 麻酔 (masui) – anesthesia
- 輸血 (yuketsu) – blood transfusion
- 手術 (shujutsu) – surgery
- 放射線治療 (hōshasen chiryō) – radiotherapy
- 精神療法 (seishin ryōhō) – psychological therapy
- リハビリテーション (rihabiritēshon) – rehabilitation
- 膝関節置換術 (hiza kansetsu chikan jutsu) – total knee replacement
- 鼻腔拡張術 (bikō kakuchō jutsu) – nasal septum deviation surgery
- 眼圧降下剤 (gan’atsu kōka zai) – eye pressure reduction eye drops
- 抗不整脈剤 (kōfu seimyaku zai) – antiarrhythmic
- 血栓塞栓症治療薬 (kessentō sasen-shō chiryō yaku) – anticoagulant
- 催眠療法 (saimin ryōhō) – therapeutic hypnosis
- 漢方薬 (kanpō yaku) – traditional Chinese medicine
- ワクチン (wakuchin) – vaccine
- 抗てんかん薬 (kō tenkan yaku) – anticonvulsant
- 抗病原体薬 (kō byōgen-tai yaku) – antiviral
- 人工呼吸器 (jinkō kokyūki) – mechanical ventilator
- 白内障手術 (hakunai shō shujutsu) – cataract surgery
- 透析 (tōseki) – dialysis
- 血漿交換 (kesshō kōkan) – plasma exchange
- 超音波治療 (chōonpa chiryō) – ultrasound therapy
- 筋弛緩剤 (kin chihankan zai) – muscle relaxant
- 人工透析 (jinkō tōseki) – artificial dialysis
- 血漿分画製剤 (kesshō bunka seizai) – plasmapheresis
- ステロイド薬 (suteroido yaku) – corticosteroid
- 認知行動療法 (ninchi kōdō ryōhō) – cognitive-behavioral therapy
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