US Medical Term · medications
Tablet
Tableta
In 9 languages
| Language | Term |
|---|---|
| English | Tablet |
| Spanish (Español) | Tableta |
| Chinese (中文) | 錠劑 |
| Korean (한국어) | 정제 |
| Vietnamese (Tiếng Việt) | Viên nén |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Tableta |
| Portuguese (Português) | Comprimido |
| Thai (ภาษาไทย) | ยาเม็ด |
| Japanese (日本語) | 錠剤 |
What it means
A tablet is a solid dosage form made by compressing powdered medication into a firm disk shape that you swallow whole. Tablets may be plain, film-coated to make them easier to swallow, or enteric-coated to prevent dissolving until they reach the intestine and reduce stomach upset. Extended-release tablets deliver medication slowly over many hours and must never be crushed or chewed, as doing so releases the full dose at once and can cause serious harm. Immediate-release tablets dissolve quickly and act faster. Always ask your pharmacist before splitting or crushing a tablet, since not all formulations are safe to divide.
How to say it
Sentences a patient might use with a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or insurer:
Is this an extended-release tablet that I should not crush?
¿Esta es una tableta de liberación prolongada que no debo triturar?
My tablet has a line in the middle. Can I split it in half?
Mi tableta tiene una línea en el medio. ¿Puedo partirla por la mitad?
The pharmacist said to swallow the tablet whole with a full glass of water.
El farmacéutico dijo que debo tragar la tableta entera con un vaso lleno de agua.
Where you'll see it
Related terms
Sources
Last reviewed: September 2026