我有点咳嗽。
wǒ yǒudiǎn késou
I'm coughing a little
How to ask "What hurts?" in Chinese
你哪里不舒服？
nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?
What hurts you?
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
你 (you) + 哪里 (where) + 不 (not) + 舒服 (comfortable). Literally 'where are you not comfortable?' The question word 哪里 asks for the location of discomfort.
Variations and politeness
你感觉怎么样？
nǐ gǎnjué zěnme yàng?
How do you feel? — More casual and general; asks about overall state rather than a specific location.
你哪里不舒服啊？
nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu a?
What hurts you? — Adding the particle '啊' makes the question sound friendlier and softer.
Mini dialogue
A
我有点不舒服。
wǒ yǒudiǎn bù shūfu.
I'm feeling a bit unwell.
B
你哪里不舒服？
nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?
What hurts you?
A
我头疼。
wǒ tóuténg.
I have a headache.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you are concerned about someone's health and want to know the specific area of pain or discomfort.
- In medical settings, such as when a doctor or pharmacist asks about symptoms.
- When speaking to a friend or family member who appears to be in pain or unwell.
Avoid when
- In casual conversation when the person is not showing any signs of illness, as it may sound overly concerned or intrusive.
- When asking about emotional discomfort; this phrase is specifically about physical discomfort.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'What hurts you?' in Chinese?
You can say '你哪里不舒服？' (nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?), which literally means 'Where are you not comfortable?'
How do you pronounce '你哪里不舒服？'?
It is pronounced as 'nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?' with the tones: nǐ (3rd tone), nǎ (3rd tone), lǐ (3rd tone), bù (4th tone), shū (1st tone), fu (neutral tone).
When do you use '你哪里不舒服？'?
Use it when you want to ask someone about the specific location of their physical discomfort, typically in a caring or medical context.
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