How to say “I have a stomachache” in Chinese
“I have a stomachache” in Chinese is 我肚子疼。, written in pinyin as Wǒ dùzi téng.
我肚子疼。
Wǒ dùzi téng.
I have a stomachache.
Word by word
What each part of 我肚子疼。 actually means.
- 我wǒI
- 肚子dùzibelly / stomach
- 疼téngto hurt / painful
When you use it
- Use it at a pharmacy counter or clinic — stomach trouble is the number-one traveler complaint in China, and this sentence gets you medicine fast.
- It also works in a taxi heading to a hospital, and with hotel staff who can point you to the nearest pharmacy or doctor.
Use 我肚子疼。 in emergency situations. Get help fast: police, doctor, lost and allergies.
Other ways people say it
The same idea, said differently. Roughly in the order you'll hear them.
我头疼。
Wǒ tóuténg
I have a headache.
我疼得厉害。
Wǒ téng de lìhai
The pain is bad.
从昨天开始疼。
Cóng zuótiān kāishǐ téng
It has hurt since yesterday.
What usually trips people up
- Saying 胃疼 when you are not sure which organ it is — 肚子 (belly) covers everything between chest and hips and is what pharmacists expect first.
- Dropping the body part and saying 我疼 — Chinese names the spot; 疼 alone sounds vague even to a doctor.
- Toughing it out for days — pharmacies sell effective stomach medicine over the counter, and staff can route you the moment they hear 肚子疼.
What you might hear back
- 什么时候开始的?Shénme shíhou kāishǐ de?When did it start?
- 拉肚子吗?Lā dùzi ma?Do you have diarrhea?
- 建议去医院看看。Jiànyì qù yīyuàn kànkanI suggest going to the hospital for a check.
Common questions
- How do you say "I have a stomachache" in Chinese?
- "I have a stomachache" in Chinese is 我肚子疼。 — written in pinyin as Wǒ dùzi téng. It is an emergency phrase you would use in China.
- What does 我肚子疼。 mean in Chinese?
- 我肚子疼。 (Wǒ dùzi téng) means "I have a stomachache". Broken down word by word: 我 (wǒ) means "I"; 肚子 (dùzi) means "belly / stomach"; 疼 (téng) means "to hurt / painful".
- When would you use "I have a stomachache" in Chinese?
- Use it at a pharmacy counter or clinic — stomach trouble is the number-one traveler complaint in China, and this sentence gets you medicine fast. It also works in a taxi heading to a hospital, and with hotel staff who can point you to the nearest pharmacy or doctor.
Where you'll use it
我肚子疼。 comes up in these situations, in this order.
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