medical thermometer

体温計 (たいおんけい) thermometer

medical thermometer

 


【 体温計・taionkei 】medical thermometer

体温 (たいおん taion) = body temperature

計る (はかる hakaru) = measure

We use the metric system in Japan so body temperatures are measured in Celsius.

平熱 (へいねつ heinetsu) = normal body temperature
36.5–37.5 °C (equal to 97.7–99.5 °F)

発熱 (はつねつ hatsunetsu) = a fever
any temperature above an individual’s normal body temperature

微熱 (びねつ binetsu) = slightly feverish
37-38 °C

高熱 (こうねつ konetsu) = a high fever
body temperature above 38.0°C

On the other end of the spectrum,

低体温症 (ていたいおんしょう teitaionshō) = hypothermia
body temperature below 35.0°C

Now, how would you read “36.8 °C” in Japanese?

When reading a medical thermometer, you would read whole numbers with 度 (ど do), as in degree, and decimals with 分 (ぶ bu).

So 36.8 °C would be 36度8分 (さんじゅうろくどはちぶ sanjyūrokudohachibu).

When measuring other degrees (like an angle), it is more common to say てん (ten) for the decimal and say 36.8度 (さんじゅうろくてんはちど sanjyūrokudohachibu).

Both °C and °F are 度 (do), but you would usually add 華氏 (かし kashi; Farenheit) as a prefix to avoid confusion.

50°F = 華氏50度 (kashi gojyūdo)

The flu is インフルエンザ (infuruenza) in Japanese, インフル for short. 

熱(ねつ)っぽい
(netsuppoi)
(I’m) feverish

熱があるかも。
(netsu ga arukamo)
I might have a fever.

風邪(かぜ)をひいたかも。
(kaze wo hiitakamo)
I might have caught a cold.

インフルエンザじゃないといいんだけど。
(infuruenza janaito iindakedo)
I hope it’s not the flu.

Learn more flu terminology and phrases in the video here, more medical supplies in Japanese here, and learn how to say medical symptoms in Japanese here.

Happy Learning!