yàofáng: 药房 - Pharmacy, Drugstore, Chemist's

• Keywords: yaofang, yàofáng, 药房, pharmacy in China, Chinese drugstore, where to buy medicine in China, chemist's in China, Chinese pharmacy, traditional Chinese medicine, Western medicine, hospital pharmacy
• Summary: An essential term for any traveler or resident in China, 药房 (yàofáng) is the primary Chinese word for a pharmacy or drugstore. This page explains what a `药房` is, how it differs from a Western drugstore, and its unique dual role in providing both modern Western medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Learn how to find a pharmacy, ask for medicine, and understand the cultural context of buying health products in China.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): yàofáng
• Part of Speech: Noun
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: A place where medicines are sold; a pharmacy or drugstore.
• In a Nutshell: `药房` is the most common and direct word for “pharmacy.” It literally translates to “medicine room.” You'll see this word on storefronts all over China, often marked with a green cross. It's a purely functional term for a place you go to buy anything from painkillers and cold remedies to complex traditional herbal formulas. It can refer to a standalone street-side shop or the pharmacy department inside a hospital.

• 药 (yào): Medicine, drug, remedy. The character is topped with the grass radical `艹 (cǎo)`, which points to the ancient origin of many medicines from plants and herbs. This is a great reminder of the deep roots of Traditional Chinese Medicine.
• 房 (fáng): Room, house, building. This character originally depicted a house or a chamber within a house.
• How they combine: The logic is beautifully simple: `药 (medicine) + 房 (room/house) = 药房 (medicine room)`. This creates a clear and unmistakable meaning: a dedicated place for medicine.

The concept of a `药房` in China is a fascinating blend of the ancient and the modern. Unlike in the West, where pharmacies are almost exclusively for modern, Western-style medicine, a Chinese `药房` often operates as two worlds under one roof. One section will look familiar to any Westerner: clean, white shelves stocked with boxes of pills, syrups, and tablets—this is the 西药 (xīyào), or Western medicine, section. Here you can buy aspirin, antibiotics (sometimes with less strict regulation than in the West), and vitamins. However, another section might feature large walls of small wooden drawers, each labeled with a character for a specific herb, root, or mineral. You might see large glass jars of ginseng, dried sea horses, or goji berries. This is the 中药 (zhōngyào), or Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), section. Here, a pharmacist might weigh out a custom prescription of various dried ingredients for you to take home and boil into a tea. Comparison with a Western “Drugstore”: A key difference is scope. An American drugstore like Walgreens or a British chemist like Boots is also a convenience store, selling snacks, cosmetics, magazines, and photo-printing services. While some larger Chinese pharmacies are expanding their offerings, the core focus of a `药房` is overwhelmingly on health and medicine. You go to a `药房` specifically for health-related products, not to grab a soda and a bag of chips.

`药房` is a term you will use frequently for practical, everyday needs.

• Standalone Pharmacies: These are everywhere in Chinese cities and towns. You can walk in and buy over-the-counter medication for common ailments like a cold (`感冒 (gǎnmào)`) or a headache (`头疼 (tóuténg)`). They are often the first stop for minor health issues.
• Hospital Pharmacies: This is a crucial system to understand. In China, it's standard procedure to see a doctor in a hospital (even for minor issues) and then take your prescription directly to that same hospital's `药房` to pick up your medication. The process is often integrated: you pay for the consultation and the medicine together, then just show your receipt at the pharmacy window. You generally do not take a prescription from a hospital to a separate, street-side `药房`.
• Connotation & Formality: The term is neutral and standard. It's used in all levels of formality, from asking a friend where the nearest pharmacy is to reading official hospital signs.

• Example 1:
  • 请问，附近有药房吗？
  • Pinyin: Qǐngwèn, fùjìn yǒu yàofáng ma?
  • English: Excuse me, is there a pharmacy nearby?
  • Analysis: This is a classic and essential sentence for any visitor. `附近 (fùjìn)` means “nearby.”
• Example 2:
  • 我得去药房买点感冒药。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ děi qù yàofáng mǎi diǎn gǎnmàoyào.
  • English: I have to go to the pharmacy to buy some cold medicine.
  • Analysis: `得 (děi)` means “must” or “have to.” `感冒药 (gǎnmàoyào)` is “cold medicine.” This shows a common reason for a pharmacy trip.
• Example 3:
  • 这家药房很大，西药和中药都有。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā yàofáng hěn dà, xīyào hé zhōngyào dōu yǒu.
  • English: This pharmacy is very big; it has both Western and Chinese medicine.
  • Analysis: This sentence highlights the dual nature of many Chinese pharmacies. `家 (jiā)` is the measure word for businesses like pharmacies and restaurants.
• Example 4:
  • 看完医生，你直接去一楼的药房取药。
  • Pinyin: Kàn wán yīshēng, nǐ zhíjiē qù yī lóu de yàofáng qǔ yào.
  • English: After seeing the doctor, go directly to the pharmacy on the first floor to pick up your medicine.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates the typical process within a Chinese hospital. `取药 (qǔ yào)` means “to pick up medicine.”
• Example 5:
  • 我的头很疼，我们找个药房吧。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ de tóu hěn téng, wǒmen zhǎo ge yàofáng ba.
  • English: My head really hurts, let's find a pharmacy.
  • Analysis: A simple, practical sentence. `找 (zhǎo)` means “to look for,” and `吧 (ba)` softens the suggestion.
• Example 6:
  • 这家药房是二十四小时营业的。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā yàofáng shì èrshísì xiǎoshí yíngyè de.
  • English: This pharmacy is open 24 hours.
  • Analysis: Useful vocabulary for emergencies. `二十四小时 (èrshísì xiǎoshí)` is “24 hours,” and `营业 (yíngyè)` means “to be in business” or “to be open.”
• Example 7:
  • 你可以在任何一家药房买到维生素片。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ kěyǐ zài rènhé yī jiā yàofáng mǎidào wéishēngsù piàn.
  • English: You can buy vitamin pills at any pharmacy.
  • Analysis: `任何 (rènhé)` means “any,” and `维生素 (wéishēngsù)` is “vitamins.”
• Example 8:
  • 医院的药房通常比外面的药店贵一点。
  • Pinyin: Yīyuàn de yàofáng tōngcháng bǐ wàimiàn de yàodiàn guì yīdiǎn.
  • English: The hospital's pharmacy is usually a little more expensive than the drugstores outside.
  • Analysis: This sentence introduces the common synonym `药店 (yàodiàn)` and makes a practical comparison.
• Example 9:
  • 如果你不确定买哪种药，可以问问药房里的药剂师。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ bù quèdìng mǎi nǎ zhǒng yào, kěyǐ wènwen yàofáng lǐ de yàojìshī.
  • English: If you're not sure which medicine to buy, you can ask the pharmacist in the pharmacy.
  • Analysis: This introduces the word for pharmacist, `药剂师 (yàojìshī)`.
• Example 10:
  • 他拿着医生的处方，跑了好几家药房才买到药。
  • Pinyin: Tā názhe yīshēng de chǔfāng, pǎole hǎojǐ jiā yàofáng cái mǎidào yào.
  • English: Holding the doctor's prescription, he ran to several pharmacies before he finally managed to buy the medicine.
  • Analysis: This implies a rare or specialized medicine. `处方 (chǔfāng)` is “prescription.” `才 (cái)` indicates that something was accomplished later than expected.

• `药房 (yàofáng)` vs. `药店 (yàodiàn)`: This is the most common point of confusion. `药店 (yàodiàn)` literally means “medicine shop.” In modern daily conversation, `药房` and `药店` are largely interchangeable. You can use either and be perfectly understood. Some speakers might feel `药房` is slightly more formal or more likely to be used for a hospital pharmacy, while `药店` is more common for a standalone retail shop, but this distinction is minor. For a beginner, they are synonyms.
• False Friend: “Drugstore”: Do not assume a `药房` will be like a CVS or Walgreens. As mentioned, the primary focus is health. While you might find toothpaste or skin cream, you are very unlikely to find snacks, alcohol, stationery, or birthday cards. Thinking of it as a “pharmacy” or “chemist's” is much more accurate than “drugstore.”
• Prescription Pitfalls: A common mistake for foreigners is getting a prescription (`处方 chǔfāng`) from a doctor and expecting to fill it at any `药房`. In China, the system is highly integrated. The vast majority of the time, you must fill the prescription at the pharmacy located inside the same hospital where the doctor issued it.

• 药店 (yàodiàn) - A very common synonym for `药房`, literally “medicine shop.”
• 药 (yào) - The foundational word for “medicine” or “drug.”
• 西药 (xīyào) - Western medicine (e.g., pills, tablets).
• 中药 (zhōngyào) - Traditional Chinese Medicine (e.g., herbs, roots).
• 药剂师 (yàojìshī) - The professional who works in a `药房`; a pharmacist.
• 医院 (yīyuàn) - Hospital. Almost every hospital has its own `药房`.
• 医生 (yīshēng) - Doctor. The person who gives you a prescription to take to the `药房`.
• 处方 (chǔfāng) - A medical prescription.
• 非处方药 (fēi chǔfāng yào) - Over-the-counter (OTC) medicine; medicine you can buy without a prescription.
• 买药 (mǎi yào) - The action of “buying medicine.”