What does 内服 (naifuku) mean on a prescription label?

内服 (naifuku) means 'taken orally' — to be swallowed. The opposite, 外用 (gaiyō), means 'for external use' (applied to the skin or used topically, not swallowed). Always check this distinction when picking up medications from the pharmacist.

What is 食前 / 食後 / 食間 on a medication label?

These are dosing timing instructions. 食前 (shokuzen) means 'before meals.' 食後 (shokugo) means 'after meals.' 食間 (shokukan) means 'between meals' (approximately 2 hours after eating, not during). Most medications in Japan are prescribed to be taken after meals unless specified otherwise.

What does 必要時 (hitsuyō ji) mean?

必要時 means 'as needed' — take only when you have the symptom (pain, nausea, etc.), not at scheduled intervals. This is equivalent to PRN in international prescription notation.

What does 安静 (ansei) mean when the doctor says it?

安静 means 'rest' or 'bed rest.' If a physician tells you 安静にしてください (ansei ni shite kudasai), they are instructing you to avoid exertion and rest. The degree of restriction intended (light rest vs. complete bed rest) is often specified with additional words — ask for clarification if you are unsure.

Practical

Medical Vocabulary You Will Hear in Japan

A practical reference guide to Japanese medical terms — symptoms, body parts, clinic procedures, and prescription instructions that foreign residents commonly encounter at medical appointments.

Who this is for

Foreign residents attending Japanese clinics and hospitals who want to understand what is being said or written about their care.

Body parts and location terms

Understanding which body part is being discussed is fundamental to following a medical conversation. Common terms:

English	Japanese	Romaji
Head	頭	atama
Neck	首	kubi
Chest	胸	mune
Abdomen / stomach	お腹	onaka
Back	背中	senaka
Lower back	腰	koshi
Arm	腕	ude
Hand	手	te
Leg	足	ashi
Knee	膝	hiza
Throat	のど	nodo
Eye	目	me
Ear	耳	mimi
Heart	心臓	shinzō
Lung	肺	hai
Liver	肝臓	kanzō
Kidney	腎臓	jinzō
Stomach (organ)	胃	i

Common symptoms

English	Japanese	Romaji
Pain	痛み	itami
Fever	熱	netsu
Cough	咳	seki
Nausea	吐き気	hakike
Vomiting	嘔吐	ōto
Diarrhea	下痢	geri
Constipation	便秘	benpi
Fatigue	倦怠感	kentai-kan
Dizziness	めまい	memai
Shortness of breath	息切れ	ikigire
Rash	発疹	hasshin
Swelling	腫れ	hare
Bleeding	出血	shukketsu
Itching	かゆみ	kayumi

Clinic procedure terms

English	Japanese	Romaji
Examination	検査	kensa
Blood test	血液検査	ketsueki kensa
Urine test	尿検査	nyō kensa
X-ray	レントゲン	rentogen
CT scan	CTスキャン	CT-sukyan
MRI	MRI	MRI
Ultrasound	超音波検査	chōonpa kensa
Consultation	診察	shinsatsu
Surgery	手術	shujutsu
Injection	注射	chūsha
Drip/IV	点滴	tenteki
Anesthesia	麻酔	masui

Medication instruction terms

English	Japanese	Romaji
Take orally	内服	naifuku
For external use	外用	gaiyō
Before meals	食前	shokuzen
After meals	食後	shokugo
Between meals	食間	shokukan
Before bedtime	就寝前	shūshin mae
As needed	必要時	hitsuyō ji
Daily	毎日	mainichi
Times per day	回/日	kai/nichi
Tablets	錠	jō
Capsules	カプセル	kapuseru
Days’ supply	日分	nichibun

Frequently heard clinical phrases

“アレルギーはありますか？” (Arerugī wa arimasu ka?) — “Do you have any allergies?” Answer: “あります” (arimasu, yes) or “ありません” (arimasen, no).

“今飲んでいる薬はありますか？” (Ima nonde iru kusuri wa arimasu ka?) — “Are you taking any medications currently?”

“いつからですか？” (Itsu kara desu ka?) — “Since when? / How long have you had this symptom?”

“痛みはどのくらいですか？” (Itami wa dono kurai desu ka?) — “How strong is the pain?” (often followed by a 1–10 scale gesture)

“安静にしてください” (Ansei ni shite kudasai) — “Please rest.”

“水分を多めに取ってください” (Suibun o ōme ni totte kudasai) — “Please drink plenty of fluids.”

Last reviewed: September 2026

Key terms

English	Japanese	Romaji
Symptom	症状	shōjō
Diagnosis	診断	shindan
Treatment	治療	chiryō
Prescription	処方	shohō
Examination	検査	kensa
Blood test	血液検査	ketsueki kensa
X-ray	レントゲン	rentogen
Allergy	アレルギー	arerugī

Common questions

What does 内服 (naifuku) mean on a prescription label?: 内服 (naifuku) means 'taken orally' — to be swallowed. The opposite, 外用 (gaiyō), means 'for external use' (applied to the skin or used topically, not swallowed). Always check this distinction when picking up medications from the pharmacist.
What is 食前 / 食後 / 食間 on a medication label?: These are dosing timing instructions. 食前 (shokuzen) means 'before meals.' 食後 (shokugo) means 'after meals.' 食間 (shokukan) means 'between meals' (approximately 2 hours after eating, not during). Most medications in Japan are prescribed to be taken after meals unless specified otherwise.
What does 必要時 (hitsuyō ji) mean?: 必要時 means 'as needed' — take only when you have the symptom (pain, nausea, etc.), not at scheduled intervals. This is equivalent to PRN in international prescription notation.
What does 安静 (ansei) mean when the doctor says it?: 安静 means 'rest' or 'bed rest.' If a physician tells you 安静にしてください (ansei ni shite kudasai), they are instructing you to avoid exertion and rest. The degree of restriction intended (light rest vs. complete bed rest) is often specified with additional words — ask for clarification if you are unsure.

Sources