哦,我的胳膊。
ò , wǒ de gēbo 。
Oh, my arm.
You wouldn't believe the number of times we've heard these complaints from newcomers. "I was just
passing through Yangshuo," the victim usually starts, staring forlornly at the massive cast encasing their
lower torso. "Who'd have thought there would be a freak industrial accident within minutes of my arrival?" And to be fair, for travellers with limited experience in southern China, the scenario does sound
seductively implausible.
Statistics do not lie though, and they tell us that you'll need this podcast sooner rather than later. Which
is why we're happy to offer this safety-first lesson in Chinese that will teach you how to identify wounded
limbs to would-be rescuers. Leaving aside any discussion of China's industrial safety record, we think
you'll find this useful language even if you're never caught in a collapsing steel mill or exploding chemical plant. Because at the very least, learning to say what hurts and where it hurts will save you from
embarrassing pantomime the next time you need to see a doctor in China.
ò , wǒ de gēbo 。
Oh, my arm.
nǐ de gēbo zěnme le ?
What's wrong with your arm?
shé le 。
It's broken.
wǒmen qù yīyuàn ba 。
Lets go to the hospital.
wǒ de
my
pronounnǐ de
your
pronoungēbo
arm
nountuǐ
leg
noundùzi
stomach
nountóu
head
nounzěnme le
what's wrong
phraseyīyuàn
hospital
nounqù
to go to
verbténg
to hurt
verbshé
to break
verb