We can imagine what you must be going through upon finding out that you are pregnant for the first time as an expat in a foreign land like Beijing. So we’ve compiled a list of necessary terms that will hopefully make things a tad easier in days leading up to and on the big day itself.
Birth – 出生 chūshēng
— birth canal – 产道 chǎndào
— birth plan – 分娩计划 fēnmiǎn jìhuà
Breastfeed – 喂奶 wèinǎi
Breast milk – 母乳 mǔrǔ
Breast pump – 吸奶器 xīnǎiqì
Cesarean/C-section – 剖腹产 pōufùchǎn / 剖腹产术 pōufùchǎn shù
Circumcision – 割礼 gēlǐ / 包皮环切 bāopí huánqiē
Crowning – 儿头初露 értóu chūlù
Deliver (baby) vaginally – 顺产 shùnchǎn / 自己生 zìjǐ shēng (common language)
Doctor – 医生 yīshēng / 大夫 dàifu
Due date – 预产期 yùchǎnqī
Emergency – 急诊 jízhěn
Epidural – 硬膜外麻醉 yìng mó wài má zuì
Exam/check-up – 检查 jiǎnchá
Fetus (8 weeks – 40+ weeks) – 胎儿 tāi’ér
Formula (milk supplement) – 配方奶粉 pèifāngnǎifěn
Give birth (to a child) – 生孩子 shēng háizi
Hospital – 医院 yīyuàn
Morning sickness – 晨吐 chéntǔ
Movement (of baby) – 胎动 tāidòng
Natural delivery; no complications – 顺产 shùnchǎn
Normal (test result, etc…) – 正常 zhèngcháng
Nurse – 护士 hùshi
Obstetrical ward/maternity ward – 产科病房 chǎnkē bìngfáng
Pregnancy test (noun) – 试孕纸 shìyùnzhǐ
Pregnancy test (verb) – 怀孕试验 huáiyùn shìyàn
Pregnant – 怀孕 huáiyùn
Premature labor – 早产 zǎochǎn
Ultrasound – B超 B-chāo (common) / 超声波 chāoshēngbō (formal)
Water broke; amniotic fluid/water (to naturally break) – 羊水破了 yángshuǐ pòle
Photo: sherwood via Pixabay
This article appeared on p36-37 of the beijingkids July 2018 Home & Relocation Guide issue
