New here? This is lesson 109 of a free 240-lesson Traditional Chinese course.
How to take it in Traditional Chinese
At a Taipei clinic, Maya needs clear instructions for a new medicine. She asks how long to take it, how often, how many pills, and whether food matters.
Learn to ask about a missed dose and safe storage, too. Listen for the measure word 顆 and the completed-event marker 了.
Afterward, Maya writes the schedule on her hand. A-Li reads it back incorrectly, while his soy milk remains unfinished.
By the end of this lesson
Ask how long to take medicine, how often and how many pills to take, whether to take it after meals, what to do after a missed dose, and how to store it.
- 這個要吃多久？How long do I take this?
- 一天吃幾次？How many times a day?
- 一次吃幾顆？How many pills each time?
- 這個要飯後吃嗎？Should I take this after meals?
- 我漏吃了一次，怎麼辦？I missed one dose; what should I do?
- 這個藥該怎麼保存？How should I store this medicine?
Scene — medicine instructions
Maya is at Dr. Chen’s clinic in Da'an, checking the directions for her medicine. She has questions about the schedule and writes the answers on her hand.
A-Li waits nearby on his two stools with his soy milk still unfinished. He reads Maya’s notes back incorrectly, but the instructions from Dr. Chen are clear.
Learn — questions about your medicine
Here are six useful questions for understanding medicine directions. Listen for the words that ask about duration, frequency, quantity, timing, and storage.
Notice that 顆 counts pills, while 次 counts repeated actions. The small word 了 marks the missed dose as an event that already happened.
這個要吃多久？
How long do I take this?
When to use it: Ask how long a course of medicine should last.
多久 asks about duration; the answer usually gives a length of time.
一天吃幾次？
How many times a day?
When to use it: Ask how often to take a medicine during the day.
幾次 asks for a count of occasions; 次 counts repeated actions.
Say it: 一 changes to a falling tone before the first-tone syllable 天.
一次吃幾顆？
How many pills each time?
When to use it: Ask how many pills to take with each dose.
顆 is the measure word commonly used for small, round pills.
這個要飯後吃嗎？
Should I take this after meals?
When to use it: Check whether this medicine should be taken after eating.
飯後 means after a meal; it tells you when to take the medicine.
我漏吃了一次，怎麼辦？
I missed one dose; what should I do?
When to use it: Ask a clinician what to do after missing a dose.
了 marks the missed dose as a completed event.
Say it: 了 is often neutral when it marks a completed action.
這個藥該怎麼保存？
How should I store this medicine?
When to use it: Ask how to keep medicine safely at home.
該怎麼 asks for the recommended way to do something.
Story — a schedule on Maya’s hand
Maya checks her medicine directions with Dr. Chen at the neighborhood clinic. She asks about the schedule and what to do if she misses a dose.
She writes the instructions on her hand. A-Li reads them back with one detail wrong.
Maya請問有感冒藥嗎？Do you have cold medicine?
Dr. Chen藥袋上有吃法，不清楚就問我。The medicine bag has directions; ask me if anything is unclear.- Maya這個要吃多久？How long do I take this?
- Dr. Chen先吃三天。Take it for three days to start.
- Maya一天吃幾次？How many times a day?
- Dr. Chen一天三次。Three times a day.
- Maya一次吃幾顆？How many pills each time?
- Dr. Chen一次一顆就好。One pill each time is enough.
- Maya這個要飯後吃嗎？Should I take this after meals?
- Dr. Chen對，飯後吃。Yes, take it after meals.
- Maya我漏吃了一次，怎麼辦？I missed one dose; what should I do?
- Dr. Chen先打電話問診所，別自己多吃。Call the clinic first; don’t take extra on your own.
- Maya這個藥該怎麼保存？How should I store this medicine?
- Dr. Chen放在陰涼乾燥的地方。Keep it in a cool, dry place.
- Maya我把吃藥時間寫在手上了。I wrote the medicine times on my hand.
A-Li一天三次？欸，我看成一天兩次。Three times a day? Huh, I read it as twice a day.
Practice — check the instructions
Try eight exercises about medicine instructions, from choosing what you hear to building questions and giving a suitable reply.
Read each situation carefully. In particular, distinguish how many times a day from how many pills each time.
0 of 8 done
What does it mean?
What does it mean?
這個要吃多久？
What do you say?
What do you say?
You are not sure how many doses to take each day. Ask the doctor.
Build the line
Build the line
How many pills each time?
？
Tap the words in order.
Fill the gap
Fill the gap
Should I take this after meals?
這個要____吃嗎？
What did you hear?
What did you hear?
What do you say?
What do you say?
You want to know the right way to keep your medicine at home. Ask the doctor.
Pick the reply
Pharmacist says:
Pick the reply
你想買哪一種藥？
What kind of medicine would you like to buy?
And you reply with:
What do you say?
What do you say?
The doctor asks how you felt yesterday, and you had a fever. Say so.
Say it — ask the doctor
You play Maya and check the directions with Dr. Chen. Listen to each prompt, then ask your question clearly.
Speak the line that fits the moment. Dr. Chen will answer, and you can compare your words with the model.
- Maya checks the medicine directions with Dr. Chen.
- Maya (you)Ask how long you should take the medicine.
Ask how long you should take the medicine.
這個要吃多久？
How long do I take this?
0 of 4 said
Recap — what you can say now
| Traditional Chinese | English | Play |
|---|---|---|
| 這個要吃多久？ | How long do I take this? | |
| 一天吃幾次？ | How many times a day? | |
| 一次吃幾顆？ | How many pills each time? | |
| 這個要飯後吃嗎？ | Should I take this after meals? | |
| 我漏吃了一次，怎麼辦？ | I missed one dose; what should I do? | |
| 這個藥該怎麼保存？ | How should I store this medicine? |
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Keep practicing with Yak Cards
Review today’s medicine questions with Yak Cards.
Practise asking one clear question whenever you review the directions.
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