How to register at a hospital in Chinese
You feel unwell and go to a hospital in China. At the registration desk (挂号处) you say you want to register; the nurse asks what's wrong and tells you which department to see (you don't need to know it); you show your passport and pay by scanning a QR code.
How the conversation starts
王护士 (Nurse Wang) · nurse at the information and registration desk
Register at a hospital
What you do
- Ask to register
- Say what is wrong
- Pay the registration fee
What to say
- 我要挂号。Wǒ yào guàhào.I'd like to register.
- 我头疼。Wǒ tóuténg.I have a headache.
- 这是我的护照。Zhè shì wǒ de hùzhào.Here is my passport.
- 我扫码付。Wǒ sǎo mǎ fù.I'll pay by scanning the code.
Register at a hospital
You're at the registration hall of a public hospital in Shanghai. You need to see a doctor for a stomachache. First, you go to the registration window (挂号处). The clerk asks what department you need and for your ID. You pay the registration fee by scanning a QR code, then get your queue number and receipt.
What you do
- Say which department you need (e.g., internal medicine)
- Show your passport or ID when asked
- Pay the registration fee by scanning a QR code
What to say
- 我要挂___科。Wǒ yào guà ___ kē.I want to register for the ___ department.
4 more sentences in this lesson, in the app.
Hospital: the specialist slots are gone
You're at the registration hall of a public hospital in Shanghai. Your stomach has hurt for two days and you're not sure which department to register with. Specialist appointments (专家号) often run out early; a regular one (普通号) is cheaper but you wait. You register with your passport.
What you do
- Say what's wrong and ask which department
- The specialist slots are gone: ask about other options and choose
- Show your passport, pay, and ask where to go
What to say
- 我胃疼了两天了，应该挂哪个科？Wǒ wèi téng le liǎng tiān le, yīnggāi guà nǎ ge kē?My stomach has hurt for two days. Which department should I register with?
4 more sentences in this lesson, in the app.
Now say it out loud
In Kaiko, 王护士 (Nurse Wang) answers you out loud in Chinese, and a coach corrects you as you go.