Penang Hokkien Phrases for Doctors
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Block A, Penang General Hospital (20 March, 2013)
Penang Hokkien Phrases for Doctors is created specially for the benefit of those in the medical profession. As a doctor, nurse or caregiver stationed in Penang, you are likely to encounter mostly elderly patients who do not speak any other language, and you will need a bit of Penang Hokkien to figure out what is ailing them. If you are going to be residing in Penang for a while, I would urge you to learn to construct proper sentences in Penang Hokkien (using the lessons under Penang Hokkien for Residents). But until you get up to speed on that, let me help you with a selection of useful phrases that you might want to use with your Hokkien-speaking patients.
In addition to this lesson, refer also to two related chapters, namely Anatomy and Ailments & Treatments.
Note: As it's not possible to arrange the words in alphabetical order, you can find the word you want by doing a Search using ctrl+f. If there are other phrases you would like me to add to this list, feel free to write to me.
- What's the matter?
Ha1mik1 su33? [ha-mik-su]
- What's the matter with you?
Ha1mik1 su33 ka1 lu4? [ha-mik-su ka lu] - I'm not feeling well.
Wah1 boh3 ho1si3. [ua bo ho-si] - My body doesn't feel well.
Wah1-eh3 sing3ku1 boh3 song4. [ua-e siŋ-ku bo sɔŋ] - I'm sick.
Wah1 phua1pnae3. [ua phua-pɛ̃] - What sort of ailment?
Ha1mik1 pnae3? [ha-mik pɛ̃] - I have the flu.
Wah1 tiok3kam4. [ua tiok-kam] - I have a fever.
Wah1 huat1juak1. [ua huat-dzuak] - I vomitted.
Wah1 au4. [ua au] - I have the runs.
Wah1 lau1sai4. [ua lau] - I have a sore-throat.
Wah1 na3au2 thnia3. [ua na3au2 thiã] - I have stomach ache.
Wah1 por1tor1 thnia3. [ua pɔ-tɔ thiã] - I have pain in my stomach.
Wah1-eh3 por1tor4 thnia3. [ua-e pɔ-tɔ thiã] - I have a headache.
Wah1 thau2 thnia3. [ua thau thiã] - I have pain in my head.
Wah1-eh3 thau2 thnia3. [ua-e thau thiã] - My leg hurts.
Wah1-eh3 kha1 thnia3. [ua-e kha thiã] - My back hurts.
Wah1-eh3 ka3ciak3 thnia3. [ua-e ka-tsiak thiã] - I am dizzy.
Wah1 thau2 hin2. [ua thau hin] - I am very dizzy.
Wah1 cin3cnia1 hin2. [ua tsin-tsiã hin] - I have a severe headache.
Wah1 cin3cnia1 thau2 thnia3. [ua tsin-tsiã thau thiã] - I have a severe pain in my head.
Wah1-eh3 thau2 cin3cnia1 thnia3. [ua-e thau tsin-tsiã thiã] - My leg hurts very badly.
Wah1-eh kha1 cin3cnia1 thnia3. [ua-e kha tsin-tsiã thiã] - I can't eat.
Wah1 be33 ciak1. [ua be tsiak] - I can't sleep.
Wah1 be33 khoon3. [ua be khun] - I am constipated. / I have no bowel movement.
Wah1 be33 pang3. [ua be paŋ] - I can't breath.
Wah1 be33 chuan1khui3. [ua tshuan-khui] - I (accidentally) cut (myself).
Wah1 tiok3 kuak3. [ua tiok kuak] - I was knocked down (by a vehicle).
Wah1 tiok3 long3. [ua tiok lɔŋ] - I was injured (for general reasons).
Wah1 tiok3 siong1. [ua tiok siɔŋ] - I was stung (by a bee/insect).
Wah1 tiok teng3. [ua tiok teŋ] - I was stung by a bee.
Wah1 hor33 bit3phang1 teng3. [ua hɔ bit-phaŋ teŋ] - I was bitten (by a dog/snake).
Wah1 tiok ka3. [ua tiok ka] - I was bitten by a dog.
Wah1 hor33 kao4 ka3. [ua hɔ kau ka] - I was bitten by a snake.
Wah1 hor33 cua2 ka3. [ua hɔ tsua ka] - When did the pain start?
Ti33si2 thnia3 khi4? [ti-si thiã khi] - When did it happen?
Ti3si2 huat1seng1? [ti-si huat-seŋ] - When were you knocked down?
Ti3si2 tiok3 long3? [ti-si tiok lɔŋ] - When were you stung?
Ti3si2 tiok3 teng3? [ti-si tiok teŋ] - When were you bitten?
Ti3si2 tiok3 ka3? [ti-si tiok ka] - When were you injured?
Ti3si2 tiok3 siong1? [ti-si tiok siɔŋ] - (The ailment/pain) how many days already?
Kui1 jit1 liau4? [kui dzit liau] - (The ailment/pain) how long already?
Cor3 ku4 liau4? [tsɔ ku liau] - Just started (within the same day).
Ba3lu1 nia3. [ba-lu nia] - Since last night.
Cna3meh2 khi4. [tsã-mɛ khi] - It happened last night.
Cna3meh2 tiok1. [tsã-mɛ tiok] - Since yesterday.
Cna3hnui1 khi4. [ts&#atilde;-huĩ khi] - It happened yesterday.
Cna3hnui1 tiok1. [ts&#atilde;-huĩ tiok] - A day already.
Cit3 jit1 liau4. [tsit dzit liau]
- Two days already.
Nor33 jit1 liau4. [nɔ dzit liau]
- One week already.
Cit3 leh1pai3 liau4. [tsit le-pai liau]
- One month already.
Cit3 goay1 liau4. [tsit goe liau] - A long time ago.
Ku4 liau4 loh4. [ku liau lo] - I can't remember when.
Wah4 be33ki3 ti3si2 liau4. [ua be-ki ti-si liau] - Nevermind.
Be33hiau1kin4. [be-hiau-kin] - Don't worry.
Mien1 huan3lo4. [miɛn huan-lo] - Rest more.
Hiu3sek3 khah1 ce3. [hiu-sek kha tse] - I'll give you some medicine for it.
Wah4 hor33 lu4 iok1. [ua hɔ lu iok] - I'll give you some medicine to be taken (eaten).
Wah4 hor33 lu4 iok1 ciak1. [ua hɔ lu iok tsiak] - I'll give you some medicine to be applied.
Wah4 hor33 lu4 iok1 buak3. [ua hɔ lu iok buak] - I'll give you some medicine to be inhaled.
Wah4 hor33 lu4 iok1 bi3. [ua hɔ lu iok bi] - I'll give you some medicated plaster to be put on.
Wah4 hor33 lu4 kor3iok1 tak3. [ua hɔ lu kɔ-iok tak] - Don't smoke.
Mm33thang3 sok1 hoon3ki1. [m-thaŋ sok hun-ki] - Don't drink alcohol.
Mm33thang3 lim3 ciu4. [m-thaŋ lim tsiu] - Don't eat sweet stuff.
Mm33thang3 ciak3 tnee1-eh3 mi3knia3. [m-thaŋ tsiak tĩ-e mi-kiã] - Don't eat fried stuff.
Mm33thang3 ciak3 cien1-eh3 mi3knia3. [m-thaŋ tsiak tsiɛn-e mi-kiã] - Don't take ice.
Mm33thang3 ciak3 sng1. [m-thaŋ tsiak sŋ] - Drink more water.
Lim1 khah1 ce33 chooi4. [lim kha tse tsui] - Sleep more.
Khoon3 khah1 ce3. [khun-tɔŋ kha tse] - Exercise more.
Un3tong3 khah1 ce3. [un-tɔŋ kha tse] - Don't sleep late.
Mm33thang3 khoon1 wna3-wna3. [m-thaŋ khun uã-uã] - Take three times a day.
Cit3 jit1 ciak3 snar3 tau4. [tsit dzit tsiak sã tau] - Take after meal.
Ciak3pa4 liau4 ka1 ciak1. [tsiak-pa liau ka tsiak] - Take with your meal.
Ciak3 ka1 pnui3. [tsiak ka puĩ] - Take with water.
Ciak3 ka1 chooi4. [tsiak ka tsui] - Take with plenty of water.
Ciak3 ka1 ce33-ce33 chooi4. [tsiak ka tse-tse tsui] - Apply it before going to bed.
A1boey3 khee1 khoon3 eh3 si2 buak3. [a-boe khi khun e si buak] - Apply it again when you wake up.
Khi4 lai2 liau4 eh3 si2 kokh1cai1 buak3. [khi lai liau e si koʔ-tsai buak] - If don't feel better, come to see me again.
A33si33 boh3 ho4, kokh1 lai3 choay3 wah4. [a-si bo ho, koʔ lai tshoe ua]
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