About This Lesson
Use Reading Medicine Labels and Calling the Pharmacy to practice Chinese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
我在药房拿了这个药。
Wǒ zài yàofáng ná le zhège yào. I picked up this medicine at the pharmacy.
B
药剂师说明怎么用了吗？
Yàojìshī shuōmíng zěnme yòng le ma? Did the pharmacist explain the instructions?
A
标签上写着要饭后服用。
Biāoqiān shàng xiězhe yào fànhòu fúyòng. The label says to take it after meals.
B
那就不要在早餐前服用。
Nà jiù bú yào zài zǎocān qián fúyòng. Then do not take it before breakfast.
A
我不确定剂量是多少。
Wǒ bú quèdìng jìliàng shì duōshao. I am not sure about the dose.
B
如果标签不清楚，就给药房打电话。
Rúguǒ biāoqiān bù qīngchu, jiù gěi yàofáng dǎ diànhuà. Call the pharmacy if the label is unclear.
A
这样比猜更安全。
Zhèyàng bǐ cāi gèng ānquán. That is safer than guessing.
B
药剂师可以在你服药前告诉你正确的剂量。
Yàojìshī kěyǐ zài nǐ fúyào qián gàosu nǐ zhèngquè de jìliàng. The pharmacist can tell you the correct dose before you take it.Word by Word
我
“我” refers to the speaker, meaning “I” or “me”; here it is the person who picked up the medicine and is unsure about the dose. It can be the subject of a statement, as in “我在药房拿了这个药” or “我不确定剂量是多少。”
在
In “我在药房拿了这个药”, “在” marks the place where the action happened: at the pharmacy. It commonly comes before a place, as in the exact phrase “在药房”.
药房
“药房” means “pharmacy”, the place where the speaker picked up the medicine. In this dialogue it appears in “在药房” and “给药房打电话”, so it can be used both for a location and as the recipient of a call.
拿
In “我在药房拿了这个药”, “拿” means to pick up or get the medicine. The object follows the verb in “拿了这个药”; this pattern is useful when saying that someone obtains a specific thing.
了
After “拿”, “了” shows that the picking-up action has been completed: “拿了这个药” means the speaker picked up the medicine. It is placed after the verb in this completed-action use.
这个
“这个” means “this” and identifies the particular medicine being discussed in “这个药”. It comes before the noun it specifies, following the pattern “这个” plus a noun.
药
“药” means “medicine”; here it is the thing the speaker picked up in “这个药”. It is used as a noun referring to the medication under discussion.
药剂师
“药剂师” means “pharmacist”, the person who may explain how to use the medicine and tell the correct dose. In the dialogue it is the subject of “药剂师说明怎么用了吗？” and “药剂师可以在你服药前告诉你正确的剂量。”
说明
In “药剂师说明怎么用了吗？”, “说明” means to explain or give information about how the medicine should be used. It is followed here by “怎么用”, forming the question about the instructions.
怎么
In “怎么用”, “怎么” asks “how”, referring to the way the medicine should be used. A useful pattern is “怎么” followed by an action, as in the exact phrase “说明怎么用了吗？”
用
In “怎么用”, “用” means use; in this medical context, it refers to taking or using the medicine. The phrase “怎么用” asks about the correct way to use it.
吗
At the end of “药剂师说明怎么用了吗？”, “吗” turns the preceding statement into a yes-or-no question. It is placed at the end when asking whether something happened or is true.
标签
“标签” means “label”, specifically the medicine label that contains the instructions. It is the topic of the information in “标签上写着要饭后服用” and “如果标签不清楚”.
上
In “标签上”, “上” means “on”, marking the surface or place where the information is written. It follows the place noun in this expression: “标签上” means “on the label”.
写
In “标签上写着要饭后服用”, “写” refers to information being written on the label, so the label says that the medicine should be taken after meals. Here it appears as part of “写着”, describing the written instruction displayed there.
着
In “写着”, “着” shows that the written information remains in a displayed state on the label. It follows “写” in “标签上写着要饭后服用”, rather than describing a separate action.
要
In “要饭后服用”, “要” expresses the instruction or requirement to take the medicine after meals. A useful pattern is “要” followed by an action, as in the exact phrase “要饭后服用”.
饭后
“饭后” means “after meals” and gives the time for taking the medicine in “饭后服用”. It is placed before the action to state when the action should happen.
服用
“服用” means to take medicine, and it is a formal medical expression in “饭后服用” and “不要在早餐前服用”. It refers to taking the medicine understood from the context.
那
At the beginning of “那就不要在早餐前服用”, “那” means “then” or “in that case”, responding to the label instruction just mentioned. It introduces a conclusion based on the preceding information.
就
In “那就不要在早餐前服用”, “就” marks the resulting action: then the medicine should not be taken before breakfast. The exact pattern “那就” is useful when drawing a conclusion from what was just said.
不
In “不要在早餐前服用”, “不” supplies the negation in the instruction not to take the medicine before breakfast. It comes before “要” here to form the negative instruction “不要”.
早餐
“早餐” means “breakfast” and is the time reference in “早餐前”. The dialogue uses it with “前” to specify a time before breakfast.
前
In “早餐前”, “前” means “before”, placing the action earlier than breakfast. A reusable time pattern is a time or event followed by “前”, as in the exact phrase “早餐前”.
确定
In “我不确定剂量是多少”, “确定” means to be sure or certain about something. With “不”, it expresses uncertainty about the dose; the pattern “不确定” can be followed by the information someone is unsure about.
剂量
“剂量” means “dose”, the amount of medicine that should be taken. In the dialogue it appears in “剂量是多少” and “正确的剂量”, so it is used when asking about or identifying the required amount.
是
In “剂量是多少”, “是” links the dose with the amount being asked about. The exact pattern “剂量是多少” asks what the dose is.
多少
In “剂量是多少”, “多少” asks for the amount or number of the dose. It is used here after “是” to ask how much medicine is required.
如果
“如果” means “if” and introduces the condition in “如果标签不清楚，就给药房打电话”. It is useful for stating a condition before the action that should follow it.
清楚
In “标签不清楚”, “清楚” means clear or understandable; the label is not clear enough to follow confidently. It follows “不” here to form the negative description “不清楚”.
给
In “给药房打电话”, “给” marks the pharmacy as the recipient or destination of the phone call. A useful pattern is to place the person or place receiving the call after “给”, as in the exact dialogue phrase.
打电话
The exact expression “打电话” means to make a phone call. In “给药房打电话”, “打” contributes the call-making action and “电话” refers to the phone call; together they form one expression. It is used after the recipient in the exact pattern “给药房打电话”.
这样
In “这样比猜更安全”, “这样” means “this way” and refers to calling the pharmacy or asking the pharmacist instead of guessing. It can point back to a method that has just been mentioned, as it does here.
比
In “这样比猜更安全”, “比” introduces the comparison standard, comparing this way with guessing. The dialogue shows the reusable pattern “A比B更安全”, with the two actions being compared before the adjective.
猜
“猜” means “guess”; here it refers to guessing the dose without clear information. It is the action used as the comparison point in “比猜更安全”, a situation that arises when someone is unsure of an answer.
更
In “更安全”, “更” means “more” and increases the degree of the adjective, giving the comparison “safer”. The common pattern shown here is “更” followed by an adjective.
安全
“安全” means “safe”; in “这样比猜更安全”, it describes the safer choice of checking with the pharmacy. It is used after “更” to compare the safety of two actions.
可以
In “药剂师可以在你服药前告诉你正确的剂量”, “可以” means “can” or “is able to”, describing the pharmacist’s ability to provide the correct dose. A useful pattern is “可以” followed by an action, as in “可以告诉”.
你
“你” means “you”; in the dialogue it refers to the person who will take the medicine and receive the dose information. It appears as the recipient in “告诉你” and as the person taking the medicine in “你服药前”.
服药
“服药” means “take medicine” and is a formal medical expression. In “在你服药前”, it names the action that should happen after the pharmacist has provided the correct dose.
告诉
In “告诉你正确的剂量”, “告诉” means “tell” or “inform”. The dialogue shows the pattern “告诉” followed by the person receiving the information and then the information itself.
正确
In “正确的剂量”, “正确” means “correct” and describes the dose that the pharmacist provides. It comes before “的剂量” to specify which dose is meant.
的
In “正确的剂量”, “的” links the description “正确” to the noun “剂量”. The exact pattern “adjective + 的 + noun” is used here to form the phrase “正确的剂量”.
Grammar Points
如果……，就……
如果不清楚，就打电话告诉药剂师。
Rúguǒ bù qīngchu, jiù dǎ diànhuà gàosu yàojìshī.If it is unclear, call the pharmacist.
如果 introduces a condition; 就 introduces the result or action that follows in that situation.
比……更……
这样比猜剂量更安全。
Zhèyàng bǐ cāi jìliàng gèng ānquán.This way is safer than guessing the dose.
比 compares two things, and 更 shows that one has a higher degree of the adjective.
Chinese Vocabulary
标签
noun
biāoqiān
label
不确定
adj
bú quèdìng
be unsure
饭后
phrase
fànhòu
after meals
服用
verb
fúyòng
take medicine
拿
verb
ná
pick up; get
说明
verb
shuōmíng
explain
写着
verb
xiězhe
says; is written
药
noun
yào
medicine
药房
noun
yàofáng
pharmacy
药剂师
noun
yàojìshī
pharmacist
早餐前
phrase
zǎocān qián
before breakfast
怎么用
phrase
zěnme yòng
how to use it
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
pharmacy
Show Answer
药房explain
Show Answer
说明pharmacist
Show Answer
药剂师take medicine