你哪里不舒服？
nǐ nǎlǐ bù shūfu?
What hurts you?
How to say "This medicine requires a prescription" in Chinese
这个药需要处方。
zhège yào xūyào chǔfāng
This medicine requires a prescription
Character breakdown
Grammar and structure
This is a statement: 这个药 (zhège yào) means 'this medicine', 需要 (xūyào) means 'need/require', 处方 (chǔfāng) means 'prescription'.
Variations and politeness
这个药需要医生开处方
zhège yào xūyào yīshēng kāi chǔfāng
This medicine needs a doctor to write a prescription. — More formal and explicit about the doctor's role.
这个药不能随便买
zhège yào bùnéng suíbiàn mǎi
You can't buy this medicine casually. — More colloquial, implies the need for a prescription without stating it directly.
Mini dialogue
A
这个药需要处方吗？
zhège yào xūyào chǔfāng ma?
Does this medicine require a prescription?
B
是的，必须有处方。
shì de, bìxū yǒu chǔfāng.
Yes, you must have a prescription.
When to use it
Appropriate
- When you want to state that a particular medicine is prescription-only.
- When explaining to someone that they cannot buy a medicine without a prescription.
Avoid when
- When you are asking for a prescription; use a question like 这个药需要处方吗？ instead.
- When you are talking about medicine in general, not a specific one; this phrase refers to a particular medicine.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 'This medicine requires a prescription' in Chinese?
You can say '这个药需要处方。' (zhège yào xūyào chǔfāng).
How do you pronounce '这个药需要处方'?
It is pronounced 'zhège yào xūyào chǔfāng', with the tones: zhè (4th), ge (neutral), yào (4th), xū (1st), yào (4th), chǔ (3rd), fāng (1st).
When do you use '这个药需要处方'?
Use it when you want to state that a specific medicine requires a prescription, for example at a pharmacy or when explaining to someone.
More phrases for this situation
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