If you’re doing a health checkup in China without fluent Mandarin, the real obstacle isn’t the blood draw — it’s the paperwork. Your form, lab order, and final report will be full of Chinese medical terms that rarely show up in a phrasebook. This Chinese medical terms English cheat sheet gives you the words you’ll actually see, grouped the way a checkup is actually organized, so you can read your own results and know what to ask. It’s a memory aid, not a diagnosis tool — but it will stop you from nodding through a consult you don’t fully understand.
Departments: Where Each Test Happens
Your checkup is usually organized by department (科室, kēshì). Recognizing the big four tells you where to go and what each stop covers.
The four you’ll see on every form
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 内科 | nèikē | Internal medicine — blood pressure, heart and lung exam, consultation |
| 外科 | wàikē | Surgery — physical exam, thyroid, lymph nodes |
| 影像科 | yǐngxiàng kē | Medical imaging — X-ray, ultrasound, CT |
| 检验科 | jiǎnyàn kē | Clinical lab — blood, urine, stool tests |
| 眼科 | yǎnkē | Ophthalmology — eye exam |
| 耳鼻喉科 | ěrbíhóu kē | ENT — ear, nose, throat |
| 口腔科 | kǒuqiāng kē | Dental |
| 妇科 | fùkē | Gynecology (women) |
You don’t need all eight. Note the three that show up on almost every standard checkup — 内科, 检验科, and 影像科 — and keep the rest saved in your phone.
Blood and Lab Tests: Common Chinese Medical Terms
Most of your “health checkup” is a stack of blood panels. These are the Chinese medical terms printed beside each result line.
Why panel names matter for foreigners
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 血常规 | xuè chángguī | Complete blood count (CBC) |
| 肝功能 | gān gōngnéng | Liver function tests |
| 肾功能 | shèn gōngnéng | Kidney function tests |
| 血脂 | xuèzhī | Blood lipids — cholesterol, triglycerides |
| 血糖 | xuètáng | Blood glucose |
| 甲状腺功能 | jiǎzhuàngxiàn gōngnéng | Thyroid function |
| 尿常规 | niào chángguī | Urinalysis |
| 肿瘤标志物 | zhǒngliú biāozhìwù | Tumor markers |
| 心电图 | xīndiàntú | Electrocardiogram (ECG) |
Panel names repeat across hospitals, so once you learn 肝功能 (liver function) and 肾功能 (kidney function), you’ll recognize them on any report — even when the individual markers such as ALT, AST, or creatinine are new to you.
Imaging Terms: CT, MRI, Ultrasound, and X-Ray
Imaging is where mix-ups happen, because the Chinese terms look nothing like their English abbreviations.
A quick rule of thumb
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| CT / 计算机断层扫描 | jìsuànjī duàncéng sǎomiáo | CT scan |
| 核磁 / 磁共振 | hé cí / cígòngzhèn | MRI |
| 超声 / B超 | chāoshēng | Ultrasound |
| X光 / X线 | — | X-ray |
超声 (ultrasound) is the one you’ll most often see on a routine checkup — thyroid, abdomen, or breast. CT and 核磁 (MRI) usually come later, ordered by a doctor after something shows up. What you pay depends on the hospital and the scan, so request a quote rather than assuming a standard price — our cost comparison guide explains how pricing actually works.
Reading Your Report: Normal vs. Abnormal
The two words that decide whether you relax or book a follow-up are 正常 and 异常.
What to do with an abnormal flag
| Chinese | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 正常 | zhèngcháng | Normal |
| 异常 | yìcháng | Abnormal |
| 偏高 | piāngāo | High / elevated |
| 偏低 | piāndī | Low |
| 参考范围 | cānkǎo fànwéi | Reference range |
| 复查 | fùchá | Recheck / follow-up |
| 建议 | jiànyì | Recommendation |
A single 偏高 or 偏低 on one marker is common and often means little by itself — labs flag anything outside the reference range. Don’t self-diagnose. Bring the flagged lines to a doctor, or send us your report and we’ll explain what actually needs follow-up.
How to Ask the Right Question
Four phrases turn a confusing consult into a useful one — they cover most of what you’ll need in the moment.
Better: get your records in English
| Phrase | Pinyin | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 这个正常吗？ | Zhège zhèngcháng ma? | Is this normal? |
| 我需要复查吗？ | Wǒ xūyào fùchá ma? | Do I need a recheck? |
| 这是什么意思？ | Zhè shì shénme yìsi? | What does this mean? |
| 有没有英文报告？ | Yǒu méiyǒu Yīngwén bàogào? | Is there an English report? |
Most public hospitals print reports in Chinese only. If you need a translated copy for a home doctor or insurer, that’s part of what we arrange — see how we prepare records and translations on our medical visa checklist page.
Bring This Cheat Sheet — or Bring Us
Send us your situation
This Chinese medical terms English cheat sheet will get you through a standard checkup with far fewer blank stares. But a word list can’t read your report, compare hospitals, or book the right package. HealthBridge is a planner, not a package seller: we map your situation to the right hospital, arrange English-speaking help where it’s available, and walk you through your results. See how we’ve helped other foreigners on our case studies page, then tell us what you need on our contact page and we’ll put together a personalized plan.