INTRODUCTION

Standardization of medical nomenclature is an ongoing process in the People’s Republic of China. Terminological variants abound, be it for a disease condition, a surgical procedure or even an anatomical part.

This online English-Chinese Medical Dictionary seeks to translate medical terms to the Chinese versions most widely accepted by healthcare professionals in PRC, based chiefly on an up-to-date review of published medical literature in mainland China. Reference is also drawn from a diverse collection of dictionaries and glossaries compiled by reputable institutions and editors.

The word “medical” here refers specifically to modern, conventional medicine. This site unfortunately does not cater to visitors seeking information on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM).

Visitors should be realistic and circumspect in the usage of information provided here. At times, it merely translate medical jargon in English to medical jargon in Chinese. Lay versions of medical terms, though more familiar to the populace, are not offered here. The above notwithstanding, it should not preclude lay use of this site as several terms do become self-explanatory once they are translated to a more familiar language.

Use of the Chinese language has evolved with considerable regional variation. The choice of words and phrases for medical terms in PRC may not always sound palatable to overseas Chinese schooled in the language elsewhere. Do also note that the terminological variants favoured by healthcare professionals in Taiwan and Hong Kong SAR may be dissimilar from those listed here.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and usefulness of information provided here, there will inevitably be situations where a translated term is not interpreted appropriately in context by the user. Whenever in doubt, please seek clarification from another party.

WONG KIA BOON

Esaurus.org