处方 (chǔfāng)

处方 is the written instruction from a doctor telling a pharmacist which medicine to give a patient. It is an essential word for talking about medical consultations and pharmacy visits.

Meanings

[noun] prescription; a doctor's written order specifying medication and dosage

Example Sentences

没有处方，药店不卖这种药。 Méiyǒu chǔfāng, yàodiàn bù mài zhè zhǒng yào. Without a prescription, the pharmacy will not sell this medicine.

医生给我开了一张处方。 Yīshēng gěi wǒ kāi le yī zhāng chǔfāng. The doctor wrote me a prescription.

你需要先去看医生才能拿到处方。 Nǐ xūyào xiān qù kàn yīshēng cái néng ná dào chǔfāng. You need to see a doctor first before you can get a prescription.

这个处方上写了三种药。 Zhège chǔfāng shàng xiě le sān zhǒng yào. Three types of medicine are written on this prescription.

Collocations

Collocation	Meaning
开处方	to write a prescription
处方药	prescription medication
拿处方	to pick up a prescription
按处方用药	to take medicine according to the prescription

Usage Notes

处方 is a noun. The common verb used with it is 开处方 (kāi chǔfāng), meaning "to write/issue a prescription." The measure word for prescriptions is 张 (zhāng), the same as for flat objects like paper. 处方药 (chǔfāng yào) refers to prescription-only drugs, as opposed to 非处方药 (fēi chǔfāng yào), which are over-the-counter medications.

Memory Hook

处 means "to handle/deal with" and 方 means "formula/method" — a prescription is the doctor's formula for handling your illness.