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Pregnancy & Birth Chinese Vocab

You are pregnant, due to deliver here in China and worried about communicating what's happening inside to non-English speaking hospital staff? We're not suggesting you whip this out in between contractions, but it could help to have it handy in case something important gets lost in translation... or just for your own general knowledge and continual learning of the Chinese language! And if anything is missing from this list please let us know!

A

Abnormal (test result, etc..) – 不正常 [bù zhèngcháng]
Abortion – 流产 [liúchǎn]
Abortion (to induce) – 打胎 [dǎtāi]
Admit into Hospital – 住院 [zhùyuàn]
Allergy – 过敏 [guòmǐn]
Amniocentesis – 羊水穿刺 [yángshuǐ chuāncì]
Anesthesia (general) – 麻醉剂 [mázuìjì]
Appendicitis – 阑尾炎 [lánwěiyán]
Appendix – 阑尾 [lánwěi]

B

Baby (about 2 weeks – 1 year) – 婴儿 [yīng'ér]
Bacteria – 病菌 [bìngjūn]
BCG Vaccine (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) –
卡介苗 [kǎ jiè miáo] / 卡介菌 [kǎ jiè jūn]
Bladder – 膀胱 [pángguāng]
Blood – 血液 [xuèyè] / 血 [xiě]
Blood pressure – 血压 [xuèyā] [xiěyā] *pronounced both ways
Blood test – 查血 [chá xiě] / 验血 [yànxiě]
Blood type – 血型 [xuèxíng]
Brake Amniotic Fluid/Water (to naturally brake) –
羊水破了 [yángshuǐ pòle]
Brake Amniotic fluid/Water (to break, by doctor) –
破水 [pò shuǐ]
Breast – 乳房 [rǔfáng]
Breastfeed – 喂奶 [wèinǎi]
Breathe – 呼吸 [hūxī]

C

Catheterization (place in a catheter) – 导管插入术 [dǎo guǎn chā rù shù]
Caesarean/C-section – 剖腹产 [pōufùchǎn] / 剖腹产术 [pōufùchǎn shù]
Cervix – 子宫颈 [zǐɡōnɡjǐnɡ]
Check In (pay doctors fee) – 挂号 [guàhào]
Check into the hospital (over night) – 住院 [zhùyuàn]
Child/Children – 孩子 (们) [háizi (men)]
Circumcision – 割礼 [gēlǐ] / 包皮环切 [bāopí huán qiē]
Conceive, become pregnant – 怀孕 [huáiyùn]
Constipation – 便秘 [biànmì]
Contraction (Uterine) – 宫缩 [gōng suō]
Contractions (labor pains) – 阵痛 [zhèntòng]
Cycle length – 月经周期 [yuèjīngzhōuqī]

D

Deliver (baby) Vaginally –
顺产 [shùnchǎn] /自己生 [zìjǐ shēng] (common language)
Diabetes (Type I & II) – 糖尿病 [tángniàobìng]
Diabetes (Gestational) – 孕期糖尿病 [yùnqī tángniàobìng]
Dilated (uterus entrance expanded, open) – 宫口开了 [gōngkǒu kāile] / 宫口扩张 [gōngkǒu kuòzhāng]
Diphtheria Vaccine – 白破疫苗 [báipò yìmiáo]
Diphtheria Virus – 白喉 báihóu
Discharge(d) (from hospital) – 出院 [chūyuàn]
Doctor – 医生 [yīshēng] / 大夫 [dàifu]
Down Syndrome – 唐氏综合症 [tángshìzōnghézhèng]
Drink Alcohol – 喝酒 [hējiǔ]
Drugs (referring to substance abuse or taking narcotics) – 吸毒 [xīdú]
DTaP/DPT Vaccine (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Pertussis) － 白百破疫苗 [báibǎipò yìmiáo]
Due date – 预产期 [yùchǎnqī]

E

ECM Group A Vaccine (Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis) – A群流脑疫苗 [qún liúnǎo yìmiáo]
ECM Group A & C Vaccine (Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis) – A+C群流脑疫苗 [qún liúnǎo yìmiáo]
Embryo (0 – 7 weeks) – 胚胎 [pēitāi]
Emergency – 急诊 [jízhěn]
Epidural – 硬膜外麻醉 [yìng mó wài má zuì]
Exam/Check-up – 检查 [jiǎnchá]
Exam (general) – 体检 [tíjiǎn]

F

Fetus (8 weeks – 40+ weeks)- 胎儿 [tāi'ér]
Fetal Monitor – 胎儿监护 [tāier jiānhù]
Fever – 发烧 [fāshāo]
Forceps, Obstetric – 产钳 [chǎnqián]

G

Germs – 细菌 [xìjūn]
Gestational Diabetes – 孕期糖尿病 [yùnqī tángniàobìng]
Give Birth (to a child) – 生孩子 [shēng háizi]
Gynecology – 妇科 [fùkē]

H

Heart – 心脏 [xīnzàng]
Heart, Listen to Baby's – 听胎心 [tīng tāi xīn]
Heart Beat – 心跳 [xīntiào] (common) / 心搏 [xīnbó] (medical term)
Heart Rate – 心率 [xīnlǜ]
Heartburn – 胃灼热 [wèizhuórè] / 烧心 [shāoxīn] (medical)
Hepatitis A Vaccine – 甲肝减毒活病苗 [jiǎgān jiǎndúhuó bìngmiáo]
Hepatitis A Virus – 甲型肝炎病毒 [jiǎxínggān yán bìngdú]
Hepatitis B Vaccine － 乙型肝炎疫苗 [yǐxínggānyányìmiáo]
Hepatitis B Virus – 乙肝 [yǐgān] (abbreviation)
Herbal Medicine; not western medicine – 中药 [zhōngyào]
Hib Vaccine (Haemophilus Influenzae Type B) –
b型流感嗜血杆菌轭合菌苗 [b xíngliúgǎnshìxuègǎnjūnèhé jūnmiáo]
HIV (Human Immuno-deficiency Virus) –
人体缺陷免疫病毒 [rén tǐ quē xiàn miǎn yì bìng dú]
Hormone – 激素 [jīsù]
Hospital – 医院 [yīyuàn]
Hospitalized – 住院 [zhùyuàn]

I

Immunize – 使免疫 [shǐ miǎnyì]
Immunization – 免疫 [miǎnyì]，免疫作用 [miǎnyì zuòyòng]
Induce labor – 引产 [yǐnchǎn]
Inoculation – 疫苗 [yìmiáo]
Insulin – 胰岛素 [yídǎosù]
Insurance (medical) – 保险 [bǎoxiǎn]

J

Japanese B Encephalitis Vaccine － 乙脑疫苗 [yínǎo yìmiáo]
Jaundice – 黄疸 [huángdǎn]

K

 

L

Leprosy – 麻风 [máfēng]
Liver – 肝 [gān]
…ml of milk …毫升的牛奶 (… haosheng de niunai)

M

Medical history – 病史 [bìngshǐ]
Measles – 麻疹 [mázhěn]
Meningitis – 脑膜炎 [nǎomóyán]
Midwife (works in the home) –
接生员 [jiēshēnɡyuán]
*very few available in China
Miscarriage (naturally) – 流产(自然) [liúchǎn (zìrán)]
Miscarriage, predicted, hasn't happened yet – 先兆流产 [xiānzhàoliúchǎn]
MMR Vaccine (Measles, Mumps & Rubella) –
麻疹, 腮腺炎, 风疹 疫苗[mázhěn, sāixiànyán, fēngzhěn yìmiáo]
Mucous Plug -宫颈粘液赛 [gōngjǐng niányè sài]
Mumps – 腮腺炎 [sāixiànyán]

N

Natural Delivery; no complications – 顺产 [shùnchǎn]
Nauseous – 恶心 [ěxīn]
Neonatal – 新生的 [xīnshēng de]
Newborn Baby (about 0 – 2 weeks) – 新生 儿 [xīnshēngér]
Normal (test result, etc…) – 正常 [zhèngcháng]
Nurse – 护士 [hùshi]
Nurse, Head/Charge – 护士长 [hù shì zhǎng]

O

Obstetrical Ward/Maternity Ward –
产科病房 [chǎnkē bìngfáng]
Obstetrics (OB) – 产科 [chǎnkē]

P

Pain – 疼痛 [téngtòng]
Pay (a bill) – 交费 [jiāofèi]
Pediatrics Department – 儿科 [ér kē]
Pelvic exam – 骨盆体检 [gǔpén tíjiǎn]
Pelvis/Cervix/Vagina: the passage of a fetus in delivery – 产道 [chǎndào]
Penis – 阴茎 [yīnjīng]
Period – 月经 [yuèjīng]
Placenta – 胎盘 [tāi pán]
Placenta Previa -前置胎盘 [qián zhì tāi pán]
Pneumococcus Vaccine – 肺炎球菌 [fèiyánqiú jūn]
Polio Vaccine – (inactive shot form) 脊灰疫苗 脊 [jǐhuī yìmiáo] /灭活脊灰病毒疫苗 [mièhuójǐhuībìngdú yìmiáo]
Pregnancy test (noun) – 试孕纸 [shìyùnzhǐ]
Pregnancy test (verb) – 怀孕 试验 [huáiyùn shìyàn]
Pregnant – 怀孕 [huáiyùn]
Prenatal – 产前 [chǎnqián]
Prescribe – 开药 [kāi yào]
Prescription – 处方 [chǔfāng]
Prescription; to fill – 拿药 [ná yào]
Push – 使劲用力 [shǐjìng yònglì]

Q

 

R

Register – 挂号 [guàhào]
Regular Exam – 定期检查 [dìngqī jiǎnchá]
RH Blood Type – Rh血型［Rh xuè xíng]
  --Positive (Rh positive) – 阳性 [yángxìng]
  --Negative (Rh negative) – 阴性 [yīnxìng]
Rip/Tear (Vagina Split) – 阴道 撕裂 [yīndào sīliè]
Rotavirus – 轮状病毒 [lún zhuàng bìngdú]
Rubella (German measles) – 风疹 [fēngzhěn]

S

Sexual Intercourse (verb) – 性交 [xìngjiāo]
Shot – 打针 [dǎzhēn]
Smoke – 吸烟 [xīyān]
Soreness – 痛 [tòng]
Sterile (free from bacteria) – 无菌的 [wú jūn de]
Stillborn – 死婴 [sǐ yīng] / 死产的 [sǐ chǎn de]
Stitches/Sutures – 缝 [féng] / 缝线 [féngxiàn]
Surgery – 手术 [shǒushù]

T

Temperature – 体温 [tǐwēn]
Thermometer – 温度计 [wēndùjì]

U

Ultrasound – B超 [Bchāo] (common) / 超声波 [chāoshēngbō] (formal)
Umbilical Cord – 脐带 [qí dài]
Umbilical Cord Wrapped (not necessarily around neck) – 脐带缠绕 [qí dài chán rào]
Umbilical Cord Wrapped Around Neck – 脐带绕颈 [qí dài rào jǐng]
Urine Test – 查尿 [chá niào]
Uterus – 子宫 [zǐgōng]

V

Vaccine – 疫苗 [yìmiáo]
Vacuum -真空 [zhēnkōng]; 产生真空 [chǎnshēng zhēnkōng]
Vagina – 阴道 [yīndào]
Vaginal Birth – 自己生 [zìjǐ shēng]
Vaginal Birth – 顺产 [shùnchǎn] / 阴道 分娩 [yīndào fēnmiǎn] (medical term)
Virus – 病毒 [bìngdú]
Vitamin – 维生素 [wéishēngsù]

W

Water; Amniotic Fluid – 羊水 [yángshuǐ]
Water Broke; Amniotic Fluid/Water (to naturally break)– 羊水破了 [yángshuǐ pòle]
Water; to break Amniotic fluid/Water (by doctor) – 破水 [pò shuǐ]
Weight – 体重 [tǐzhòng]

This list was put together and generously shared by the owners of Having A Baby In China www.havingababyinchina.com.

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