吃药

You use it as a simple verb-object phrase. You can add a time or a frequency. For example, chi yao le ma? asks if someone has taken their meds yet. It is very direct. You can also add the type of medicine before yao. If you have a cold, you 'eat' cold medicine. It is one of the first phrases you will need if you feel under the weather.

Use it whenever health comes up. Use it at the doctor's office. Use it when a friend looks pale. It is perfect for checking in on someone. If your coworker is sneezing, ask if they need to chi yao. It shows you are observant and caring. You will also see it on prescription labels everywhere in China.

Do not use it for injections or IV drips. Those use different verbs like da zhen. Also, be careful with the tone. If you say 'Did you forget to chi yao?' to a healthy person, it is an insult. It implies they are acting crazy or mentally unstable. Avoid using it sarcastically unless you are very close with the person. Otherwise, it is quite safe.

Chinese culture often blurs the line between food and medicine. There is an old saying that 'medicine and food come from the same source.' This is why the verb chi (eat) is used. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) often involves drinking herbal soups. These soups feel more like consuming food than swallowing a tiny chemical pill. Even today, the 'eating' habit stuck for modern medicine too.

You might hear yao chi le which means the medicine has been taken. If a doctor tells you to take it three times a day, they say yi tian san ci. You can also specify chi zhong yao for traditional herbs. Or chi xi yao for Western medicine. If you are finished with a course of meds, you say chi wan yao le.