Hong Kong Clinic Jyutping
Practise Hong Kong clinic speech—tai2 ji1 sang1, m4 syu1 fuk6, faat3 siu1, taam3 jit6, beng6 gaa3 zi2—plus the Mandarin traps, with instant Jyutping.
In a Hong Kong clinic, people do not say 看醫生. Feeling unwell is 唔舒服. Seeing a doctor is 睇醫生. Taking a temperature is 探熱.
Each entry has Jyutping playback. This page only trains clinic speech. It is not medical advice, not a public-hospital workflow, and not a fee schedule. Time words: 而家, 聽日. To annotate your own symptom list, use the Jyutping converter.
Pairing table
| Hong Kong speech | Jyutping | Mandarin often says |
|---|---|---|
| 睇醫生 | tai2 ji1 sang1 | 看醫生, 看病 |
| 診所 | can2 so2 | 診所 (different sounds) |
| 私家醫生 | si1 gaa1 ji1 sang1 | 私人醫生 |
| 急症室 | gap1 zing3 sat1 | 急診, 急診室 |
| 唔舒服 | m4 syu1 fuk6 | 不舒服 |
| 發燒 | faat3 siu1 | 發燒 (different sounds) |
| 探熱 | taam3 jit6 | 量體溫 |
| 頭痛 | tau4 tung3 | 頭痛 (different sounds) |
| 肚痛 | tou5 tung3 | 肚子痛, 肚子疼 |
| 喉嚨痛 | hau4 lung4 tung3 | 喉嚨痛 (different sounds) |
| 鼻敏感 | bei6 man5 gam2 | 過敏性鼻炎, 流鼻涕 |
| 攰 | gui6 | 累 |
| 肚瀉 | tou5 se3 | 拉肚子 |
| 開藥 | hoi1 joek6 | 開藥 (different sounds) |
| 食藥 | sik6 joek6 | 吃藥 |
| 病假紙 | beng6 gaa3 zi2 | 病假條 |
| 醫生紙 | ji1 sang1 zi2 | 病假條, 醫生證明 |
Formal writing often uses 醫生證明書. Speech still says 病假紙 or 醫生紙. 睇 is the verb, 探熱 is the action, 紙 is the document.
Where to go
1. 睇醫生 (tai2 ji1 sang1)
Meaning: To see a doctor for treatment or a check-up. words.hk reads tai2 ji1 sang1.
People do not say 看醫生. Near synonym: 睇病. Hong Kong speakers say 睇.
睇醫生
tai2 ji1 sang1
睇病
tai2 beng6
2. 診所 (can2 so2)
Meaning: A small outpatient clinic. words.hk reads can2 so2.
Same characters as Mandarin. Follow the Cantonese sounds, not zhěn suǒ. Measure word: 間.
診所
can2 so2
3. 私家醫生 (si1 gaa1 ji1 sang1)
Meaning: A doctor in private practice. words.hk reads si1 gaa1 ji1 sang1.
Hong Kong speakers do not say 私人醫生. They say 私家醫生.
私家醫生
si1 gaa1 ji1 sang1
4. 急症室 (gap1 zing3 sat1)
Meaning: The Accident and Emergency department. words.hk reads gap1 zing3 sat1.
Not 急診 or 急診室. Hong Kong speakers say 急症室. Near phrase: 睇急症.
急症室
gap1 zing3 sat1
睇急症
tai2 gap1 zing3
Describing symptoms
Doctors often ask 邊度唔舒服 first. Everyday symptom words below.
5. 唔舒服 (m4 syu1 fuk6)
Meaning: Unwell; not right. Speech: m4 syu1 fuk6.
People do not say 不舒服. High-frequency line: 我唔舒服.
唔舒服
m4 syu1 fuk6
我唔舒服
ngo5 m4 syu1 fuk6
6. 發燒 (faat3 siu1)
Meaning: To have a fever. words.hk reads faat3 siu1.
Same characters as Mandarin. Follow the Cantonese sounds. Progressive form: 發緊燒.
發燒
faat3 siu1
發緊燒
faat3 gan2 siu1
7. 探熱 (taam3 jit6)
Meaning: To measure body temperature. words.hk reads taam3 jit6.
Not 量體溫. 探熱針 is a clinical thermometer.
探熱
taam3 jit6
探熱針
taam3 jit6 zam1
8. 頭痛 (tau4 tung3)
Meaning: Headache. words.hk reads tau4 tung3.
Same characters, different sounds. Do not read it like Mandarin tóu tòng.
頭痛
tau4 tung3
9. 肚痛 (tou5 tung3)
Meaning: Stomach ache; abdominal pain. words.hk reads tou5 tung3.
People do not say 肚子痛 or 肚子疼. They say 肚痛.
肚痛
tou5 tung3
10. 咳 (kat1), 喉嚨痛 (hau4 lung4 tung3)
Meaning: To cough; sore throat. 咳 kat1, 喉嚨痛 hau4 lung4 tung3.
咳 is an entering tone. 喉嚨痛 is fuller than 喉痛 alone. Hong Kong speakers say 喉嚨痛.
咳
kat1
喉嚨痛
hau4 lung4 tung3
11. 鼻水 (bei6 seoi2), 鼻敏感 (bei6 man5 gam2)
Meaning: Nasal discharge; allergic rhinitis. 鼻水 bei6 seoi2, 鼻敏感 bei6 man5 gam2.
People do not say 流鼻涕 or 過敏性鼻炎. 流鼻水 is the verb phrase.
鼻水
bei6 seoi2
流鼻水
lau4 bei6 seoi2
鼻敏感
bei6 man5 gam2
12. 頭暈 (tau4 wan4)
Meaning: Dizziness. words.hk reads tau4 wan4.
Same characters, different sounds. Do not mix with Mandarin tóu yūn.
頭暈
tau4 wan4
13. 攰 (gui6)
Meaning: Tired; exhausted. words.hk reads gui6.
Not 累. 好攰 adds degree.
攰
gui6
好攰
hou2 gui6
14. 感冒 (gam2 mou6)
Meaning: A cold. words.hk reads gam2 mou6.
Same characters as Mandarin. Follow the Cantonese sounds, not gǎn mào.
感冒
gam2 mou6
15. 肚瀉 (tou5 se3)
Meaning: Diarrhoea. words.hk reads tou5 se3.
People do not say 拉肚子. Some also say 肚痾. Practise 肚瀉 below.
肚瀉
tou5 se3
After the visit
16. 開藥 (hoi1 joek6), 食藥 (sik6 joek6)
Meaning: To prescribe medicine; to take medicine. 開藥 hoi1 joek6, 食藥 sik6 joek6.
Not 吃藥. 食藥 is the action. 藥房 is where you buy medicine.
開藥
hoi1 joek6
食藥
sik6 joek6
藥房
joek6 fong4
17. 打針 (daa2 zam1)
Meaning: To give or receive an injection. words.hk reads daa2 zam1.
Same characters as Mandarin. Follow the Cantonese sounds.
打針
daa2 zam1
18. 病假紙 (beng6 gaa3 zi2), 醫生紙 (ji1 sang1 zi2)
Meaning: A doctor's sick-leave certificate. 病假紙 beng6 gaa3 zi2, 醫生紙 ji1 sang1 zi2.
Not 病假條. Formal name: 醫生證明書. Digital copies do not change speech.
病假紙
beng6 gaa3 zi2
醫生紙
ji1 sang1 zi2
Shadow these
我唔舒服，想睇醫生。
ngo5 m4 syu1 fuk6 soeng2 tai2 ji1 sang1
你有冇發燒？幫你探下熱先。
nei5 jau5 mou5 faat3 siu1 bong1 nei5 taam3 haa6 jit6 sin1
我咳同喉嚨痛。
ngo5 kat1 tung4 hau4 lung4 tung3
醫生開咗病假紙俾我。
ji1 sang1 hoi1 zo2 beng6 gaa3 zi2 bei2 ngo5
What these terms train
| Type | Examples | What to practise |
|---|---|---|
| 睇, not 看 | 睇醫生, 睇急症, 睇病 | Use 睇; do not copy 看醫生 |
| 探, not 量 | 探熱, 探熱針 | Measure temperature with 探, not 量體溫 |
| 紙, not 條 | 病假紙, 醫生紙 | Documents are 紙, not 病假條 |
| 攰, not 累 | 好攰 | Fatigue is 攰, not 累 |
| 急症室, not 急診 | 急症室, 睇急症 | Hong Kong speakers say 急症室 |
FAQ
Why not 看醫生?
People understand it. Hong Kong speakers still prefer 睇醫生.
Can I say 掛號?
You may be understood. 掛號 is common in Mainland and Taiwan usage. Hong Kong clinics more often say queue, wait to be called, or 預約.
What about 攞籌?
Some counters still use it. It is not the default wording for public general out-patient clinics.
病假紙 and digital certificates?
Speech still says 病假紙 or 醫生紙. Formal writing uses 醫生證明書. Public hospitals now issue digital copies too; that does not change speech. Validity belongs to the issuing body, not to the word.
攰 vs 累?
People understand 累. Hong Kong speakers say 好攰.
肚痾 or 屙肚?
Near synonyms in speech. words.hk lists 肚瀉 tou5 se3. Practise 肚瀉 below.
Is this medical advice?
No. It trains speech and Jyutping only.
What next?
Time words: 而家, 聽日. Or annotate your own list with the Jyutping converter.