問診

• Reading: もんしん
• Romaji: monshin
• Kanji breakdown: 問 (mon) — ask, question; 診 (shin) — examine, diagnose
• Pronunciation: /moɴ.ɕiŋ/

Meaning

Medical interview; patient history taking. The clinical practice of asking a patient questions about their symptoms, medical history, and lifestyle.

A noun and suru-verb (問診する) describing the intake interview that typically begins a medical consultation. The written form is 問診票 (medical questionnaire). Effective 問診 is considered foundational to accurate diagnosis. In Japanese clinical practice, the structure and formality of this process is often emphasised in medical education.

Examples

1. 診察の始めに医師から詳しい問診を受け、症状の経緯を説明した。 At the start of the examination, the doctor conducted a detailed medical interview, and I explained the course of my symptoms.
2. 問診票に記入した内容をもとに、医師が診断の方向性を決める。 Based on the information filled out on the medical questionnaire, the doctor determines the direction of the diagnosis.
3. 十分な問診なしに処方された薬が、副作用を引き起こすこともある。 Medication prescribed without a thorough medical interview can sometimes cause side effects.

Usage Guide

Context: medicine, clinical care, diagnosis, hospital, general practice

Tone: clinical, procedural

Origin & History

Sino-Japanese compound: 問 (mon) means to ask or question, and 診 (shin) means to examine or diagnose. Together they describe the practice of asking questions as part of a medical examination, a procedure formalised through the adoption of Western clinical methods in the Meiji era.

Cultural Context

Era: Modern

Generation: Adult

Social background: Universal