Living in Japan means occasionally visiting doctors, buying medicine, or getting health checkups. Many medical terms use katakana loanwords, while body parts tend to use native Japanese words.
Body Parts
| English | Japanese | Reading | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forehead | おでこ / 額 | おでこ / ひたい | おでこ is more casual |
| Eyelid | まぶた | まぶた | Kanji: 瞼 |
| Ankle | 足首 | あしくび | Literally "foot neck" |
| Wrist | 手首 | てくび | Literally "hand neck" |
| Lower back/Waist | 腰 | こし | Broader than English "waist" |
| Shoulder | 肩 | かた | |
| Ligament | 靭帯 | じんたい | |
| Muscle | 筋肉 | きんにく |
おでこ vs. 額 (ひたい): Both mean "forehead." おでこ is casual and used in everyday speech ("feel my forehead"), while ひたい is more formal/written.
Health and Medical Terms
| English | Japanese | Reading | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cholesterol | コレステロール | コレステロール | From German "Cholesterin" |
| Blood pressure | 血圧 | けつあつ | |
| Allergy | アレルギー | アレルギー | From German "Allergie" |
| Fracture | 骨折 | こっせつ | Same kanji as Chinese |
| Orthodontics/Correction | 矯正 | きょうせい | Teeth, vision, posture |
| Prescription | 処方 | しょほう | 処方箋 = prescription slip |
| Health checkup | 健康診断 | けんこうしんだん | Often abbreviated 健診 |
| Surgery | 手術 | しゅじゅつ |
Many Japanese medical terms come from German, not English. This is because Japan adopted the German medical system during the Meiji era. That's why "allergy" is アレルギー (Allergie) rather than "allergy," and "cholesterol" is コレステロール (Cholesterin) rather than "cholesterol."
Daily Health Actions
| English | Japanese | Reading | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gargle | うがい | うがい | Post-homecoming habit |
| Blink | まばたき | まばたき | Verb: まばたきする |
| Sneeze | くしゃみ | くしゃみ | Verb: くしゃみをする |
| Yawn | あくび | あくび | Verb: あくびをする |
| Cough | 咳 | せき | Verb: 咳をする / 咳が出る |
| Have a fever | 熱が出る | ねつがでる | |
| Apply a compress | 湿布を貼る | しっぷをはる |
The classic Japanese habit when arriving home: 手洗い・うがい (wash hands and gargle). You'll see this posted everywhere during cold and flu season.
Example Sentences
健康診断でコレステロール値が高いと言われた。 I was told my cholesterol is high at my health checkup.
おでこを触ったら熱かった。熱があるかもしれない。 When I touched my forehead it was hot. I might have a fever.
靭帯を痛めて、しばらく運動できない。 I hurt my ligament and can't exercise for a while.
花粉のアレルギーがひどくて、毎日くしゃみが止まらない。 My pollen allergy is terrible — I can't stop sneezing every day.
帰ったらまず手洗いとうがいをしてね。 When you get home, wash your hands and gargle first, okay?
Pharmacy Vocabulary
| Japanese | Reading | English |
|---|---|---|
| 薬局 | やっきょく | Pharmacy |
| 処方箋 | しょほうせん | Prescription slip |
| 市販薬 | しはんやく | Over-the-counter medicine |
| 副作用 | ふくさよう | Side effect |
| 食後 | しょくご | After meals (dosage timing) |
| 一日三回 | いちにちさんかい | Three times a day |
Summary
- Forehead → おでこ (casual) / 額 (ひたい, formal)
- Cholesterol → コレステロール, Allergy → アレルギー (both from German)
- Gargle → うがい, Blink → まばたき
- Japanese medical terms are heavily influenced by German, not English
- Pharmacy and hospital vocabulary is worth learning before you need it
Self-Check
Q1. How do you say "My cholesterol was high at the health checkup" in Japanese?
Show answer
健康診断でコレステロール値が高いと言われた。
コレステロール = cholesterol, 健康診断 = health checkup.
Q2. What's the difference between おでこ and 額 (ひたい)?
Show answer
Both mean "forehead." おでこ is casual/spoken, 額 (ひたい) is formal/written.
Q3. Why isn't the Japanese word for "allergy" based on the English "allergy"?
Show answer
Because Japan adopted the German medical system during the Meiji era. "Allergy" is アレルギー (German: Allergie), and "cholesterol" is コレステロール (German: Cholesterin).