就医

• Pinyin: jiù yī
• Hanzi breakdown: 就 = 京 (tall place) + 尤 (phonetic) — to go to; 医 = 匚 (container) + 矢 (arrow) + 酉 (vessel) — medicine, to treat medically

Meaning

To seek medical treatment; to go to a doctor or hospital for care.

A formal-register term for seeking medical attention, common in public health notices, news reports, and official communications. More specific than 看病 in that it emphasises the act of going to the medical system. Often used in policy contexts encouraging early or timely treatment, or in discussions of healthcare access. Phrases like 及时就医 (seek treatment promptly) are extremely common.

Examples

1. 出现持续发热症状后应及时就医，切勿自行用药以免延误治疗。 You should seek medical attention promptly if you have a persistent fever — never self-medicate, as this can delay proper treatment.
2. 外来务工人员因语言障碍和经济压力，往往不愿主动就医，给健康管理带来一定挑战。 Migrant workers often resist seeking medical attention due to language barriers and financial pressure, posing a real challenge for healthcare management.
3. 随着分级诊疗制度的推进，越来越多的患者选择在社区医院就医，有效缓解了大型医院的拥挤状况。 As the tiered diagnosis and treatment system develops, more and more patients are choosing to seek care at community hospitals, effectively easing congestion at major hospitals.

Usage Guide

Context: healthcare, public health, news, official notices

Tone: neutral

Do Say

• 孩子持续高烧不退，请立即就医，不要拖延。(The child's high fever isn't coming down — please seek medical attention immediately, don't delay.)
• 政府出台政策，保障外籍居民在华就医的基本权利。(The government introduced policies to protect the basic right of foreign residents in China to receive medical care.)

Don't Say

• 我牙疼，明天去就医一下。(就医 is fine for dental care, but in casual speech 看牙 or 去看牙医 sounds more natural — 就医 is most idiomatic in formal writing or for systemic conditions)

Origin & History

就 (to go to, to engage with) + 医 (medicine, doctor). Together: to go to seek medical care. A formal compound widely used in healthcare and public health discourse.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal