您咳嗽多久了？
Nín késou duō jiǔ le?
How long have you had the cough?
Doctor question
Respiratory symptoms
Cough in Mandarin — clinical phrases for doctors and nurses
Cough (咳嗽, késou) is one of the most common respiratory presentations. This guide provides clinically structured Mandarin phrases for taking a cough history, assessing character, and identifying serious causes.
Red flags
Haemoptysis — 咯血; Weight loss with chronic cough — 慢性咳嗽伴体重下降; Night sweats — 盗汗
High-yield phrases
是干咳还是有痰？
Shì gān ké háishi yǒu tán?
Is it dry or productive?
Doctor question
痰是什么颜色？
Tán shì shénme yánsè?
What colour is the sputum?
Doctor question
咳嗽在夜间加重吗？
Késou zài yèjiān jiāzhòng ma?
Is the cough worse at night?
Doctor question
您有咳血吗？
Nín yǒu ké xuè ma?
Are you coughing up blood?
Doctor question
我已经咳嗽两周了
Wǒ yǐjīng késou liǎng zhōu le
I have been coughing for two weeks
Patient phrase
我咳嗽有黄痰
Wǒ késou yǒu huáng tán
I am coughing up yellow sputum
Patient phrase
我晚上咳嗽很厉害
Wǒ wǎnshàng késou hěn lìhài
My cough is very bad at night
Patient phrase
Example clinical dialogue
doctor
您咳嗽多久了？
Nín késou duō jiǔ le?
How long have you had the cough?
patient
我已经咳嗽两周了
Wǒ yǐjīng késou liǎng zhōu le
I have been coughing for two weeks
doctor
是干咳还是有痰？
Shì gān ké háishi yǒu tán?
Is it dry or productive?
patient
我咳嗽有黄痰
Wǒ késou yǒu huáng tán
I am coughing up yellow sputum
doctor
痰是什么颜色？
Tán shì shénme yánsè?
What colour is the sputum?
patient
我晚上咳嗽很厉害
Wǒ wǎnshàng késou hěn lìhài
My cough is very bad at night
Common mistakes
- Asking closed yes/no questions before establishing an open history of the symptom.
FAQ
How do I ask about cough in Mandarin?
Cough (咳嗽, késou) is one of the most common respiratory presentations. This guide provides clinically structured Mandarin phrases for taking a cough history, assessing character, and identifying serious causes.