kànbìng: 看病 - To see a doctor, To seek medical treatment

• Keywords: kanbing, 看病, see a doctor in Chinese, Chinese medical vocabulary, how to say I'm sick in Chinese, going to the hospital in China, kanbing meaning, Chinese doctor visit, HSK 2 vocabulary.
• Summary: Learn how to say “to see a doctor” in Chinese with the essential term 看病 (kànbìng). This guide breaks down its meaning, cultural context, and practical use. Discover why the process of a Chinese doctor visit is different from the West and master the vocabulary you need for going to the hospital in China, making your experience smoother and more culturally aware.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): kànbìng
• Part of Speech: Verb-object phrase
• HSK Level: HSK 2
• Concise Definition: To see a doctor; to consult a physician because of an illness.
• In a Nutshell: 看病 (kànbìng) is the most common and authentic way to say you're going to see a doctor. While it literally translates to “look at illness,” it functions as a single action. It's important to remember that it's the patient who performs this action. You, the sick person, go to 看病.

• 看 (kàn): This character's primary meaning is “to look at,” “to see,” or “to watch.” In this context, it carries the sense of “to examine” or “to consult.”
• 病 (bìng): This character means “illness,” “sickness,” or “disease.” The radical on the left, `疒` (the “sickness” radical), is found in many characters related to medical conditions.
• How they combine: The two characters form a logical verb-object phrase: “to look at (one's) illness.” This has evolved into the set phrase for the entire action of seeking medical consultation.

The phrase 看病 (kànbìng) encapsulates a cultural experience that is often quite different from a typical doctor's visit in the West. Understanding this can prevent confusion and frustration. Western System (e.g., USA) vs. Chinese System:

• Appointments: In the U.S., you typically schedule an appointment with a specific primary care physician days or weeks in advance. In China, for most general issues, you go directly to a hospital (医院 - yīyuàn) on the day you feel sick.
• The Process: The Chinese 看病 process usually involves several steps, often with queuing and paying at each stage:

1. 挂号 (guàhào): Go to the registration desk to get a number for a specific department (e.g., internal medicine, dermatology). You pay a small fee for this.

  2.  **排队 (páiduì):** Wait in line outside the doctor's office. It's often crowded and less private than in the West.
  3.  **Consultation:** The doctor's consultation might be very brief and to the point.
  4.  **Payment & Tests:** You'll then go to a different window to pay for any prescribed tests or medication.
  5.  **Tests/Medication:** Finally, you'll go to yet another area for the blood test, X-ray, or to the pharmacy (**药房 - yàofáng**) to pick up your medicine.
*   **Focus on the Illness:** The term **看病** places the focus on the **illness (病)** itself, rather than on the doctor. The patient is the active party, going to have their "illness looked at." This is a subtle but important mindset difference from the English "seeing a doctor," which centers the action on the medical professional.

看病 is a neutral, everyday term used by everyone.

• Expressing Intent: It's the standard way to say you need to see a doctor.
• `我有点不舒服，下午想去看病。` (Wǒ yǒudiǎn bù shūfu, xiàwǔ xiǎng qù kànbìng.) - I'm not feeling well, I want to go see a doctor this afternoon.
• Inquiring About Health: You can use it to ask about someone else.
• `你妈妈的病好点了吗？看病了吗？` (Nǐ māma de bìng hǎo diǎn le ma? Kànbìng le ma?) - Is your mom's sickness any better? Did she see a doctor?
• At the Hospital: While you're in the hospital, you'll hear and use related terms, but 看病 is the umbrella term for the whole reason you are there. The nurse might ask: `你来看什么病？` (Nǐ lái kàn shénme bìng?) - “What illness are you here to see about?”

• Example 1:
  • 我生病了，得去看病。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ shēngbìng le, děi qù kànbìng.
  • English: I'm sick, I have to go see a doctor.
  • Analysis: A classic and straightforward sentence. `生病 (shēngbìng)` is the state of being sick, and `看病` is the action you take because of it.
• Example 2:
  • 你最好去医院看病，别拖了。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ zuìhǎo qù yīyuàn kànbìng, bié tuō le.
  • English: You'd better go to the hospital to see a doctor, don't put it off.
  • Analysis: This shows `看病` used as advice. `别拖了 (bié tuō le)` is a common phrase meaning “don't delay.”
• Example 3:
  • 他昨天看病花了五百块钱。
  • Pinyin: Tā zuótiān kànbìng huāle wǔbǎi kuài qián.
  • English: He spent 500 yuan seeing the doctor yesterday.
  • Analysis: Here, `看病` functions as the action on which money was spent. `花 (huā)` means “to spend.”
• Example 4:
  • 在中国看病方便吗？
  • Pinyin: Zài Zhōngguó kànbìng fāngbiàn ma?
  • English: Is it convenient to see a doctor in China?
  • Analysis: This is a great question for an expat to ask. `方便 (fāngbiàn)` means “convenient.”
• Example 5:
  • 医生给病人看病。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng gěi bìngrén kànbìng.
  • English: The doctor treats the patient. (Literally: The doctor gives the patient a “see-the-illness”.)
  • Analysis: This is a crucial grammar point. The doctor doesn't `看病`; the patient does. For the doctor to be the subject, you must use the `给 (gěi)` structure.
• Example 6:
  • 我只是小感冒，不用看病。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zhǐshì xiǎo gǎnmào, búyòng kànbìng.
  • English: I just have a small cold, no need to see a doctor.
  • Analysis: This shows the negative form, `不用 (búyòng)`, meaning “no need to.”
• Example 7:
  • 看完病，我们去吃饭吧。
  • Pinyin: Kànwán bìng, wǒmen qù chīfàn ba.
  • English: After we're done at the doctor's, let's go eat.
  • Analysis: `看完 (kànwán)` is a result complement, meaning “to finish seeing.” This shows how `看病` can be split, which is characteristic of verb-object phrases.
• Example 8:
  • 他常常请假去看病。
  • Pinyin: Tā chángcháng qǐngjià qù kànbìng.
  • English: He often asks for leave from work to go see a doctor.
  • Analysis: `请假 (qǐngjià)` means “to request leave.” This is a very practical sentence for the workplace.
• Example 9:
  • 你看病的时候，医生怎么说？
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kànbìng de shíhou, yīshēng zěnme shuō?
  • English: When you saw the doctor, what did he say?
  • Analysis: `…的时候 (…de shíhou)` means “when…” and is a common way to frame a question about a past event.
• Example 10:
  • 现在网上也可以看病了，很方便。
  • Pinyin: Xiànzài wǎngshàng yě kěyǐ kànbìng le, hěn fāngbiàn.
  • English: Now you can also see a doctor online, it's very convenient.
  • Analysis: This reflects modern China, where telemedicine or “online doctor visits” are becoming increasingly popular.

• Who is the subject? The most common mistake for learners is getting the subject wrong.
  • Correct: 我去看病。 (Wǒ qù kànbìng.) - I (the patient) am going to see a doctor.
  • Incorrect: ~~医生看病。~~ (Yīshēng kànbìng.)
  • Explanation: This literally means “The doctor is going to see a doctor (because he is sick).” To say a doctor is treating a patient, you must say: `医生给病人看病 (Yīshēng gěi bìngrén kànbìng)`.
• `看病` vs. `看医生 (kàn yīshēng)`
  • These two phrases are often interchangeable, but there's a subtle difference.
  • 看病 (kànbìng) is the default, idiomatic phrase. It describes the entire event and purpose of seeking medical help for an illness.
  • 看医生 (kàn yīshēng) literally means “to see a doctor.” It's perfectly correct, but it places a bit more emphasis on the person you are seeing. You might use it if the doctor is the specific focus: `我今天要去看王医生。` (Wǒ jīntiān yào qù kàn Wáng yīshēng.) - “I need to go see Dr. Wang today.”
  • Rule of Thumb: When in doubt, use 看病. It will almost always be the more natural-sounding choice.

• 生病 (shēngbìng) - To get sick. This is the reason you need to 看病.
• 医生 (yīshēng) - Doctor. The person who treats you when you 看病.
• 医院 (yīyuàn) - Hospital. The primary place you go to 看病.
• 病人 (bìngrén) - Patient. The person who needs to 看病.
• 挂号 (guàhào) - To register (at a hospital). This is the first step of the 看病 process in China.
• 排队 (páiduì) - To queue/line up. You will do a lot of this when you 看病.
• 吃药 (chīyào) - To take medicine. A common result of 看病.
• 打针 (dǎzhēn) - To get an injection. Another possible result of 看病.
• 不舒服 (bù shūfu) - Not feeling well/uncomfortable. A common way to describe why you need to 看病.
• 检查 (jiǎnchá) - To have a check-up/examination. A part of the 看病 process.