For most tourists, the pharmacy counter (药店) at any chain store handles colds, headaches, and stomach bugs without a prescription. For anything serious, head to a public hospital’s international clinic — clean, English-friendly, and you can pay by card.
Getting medicine in China is easier than most visitors expect: pharmacies are on every block, most common medicines are OTC (非处方药), and delivery apps bring medicine to your hotel in 30 minutes. This page gives you the where, the how, and a screenshot-ready medicine name table.
01 The Essentials at a Glance
One line: find a 药店, show your symptoms, pay ¥20-100 — no prescription needed for common medicines.
02 Pharmacy (药店) vs Hospital
One line: pharmacies for mild symptoms, hospitals for anything serious or lasting more than 3 days.
| Option | Best for | Prescription? | Cost & payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 药店 Pharmacy | Colds, headaches, stomach bugs, mild symptoms | Not needed — most common medicines are OTC (非处方药) | Usually ¥20-100; Alipay/WeChat Pay, cash also fine |
| Hospital international clinic | Anything serious; symptoms lasting more than 3 days | Doctor prescribes on site | Clean, English-friendly, and you can pay by card |
Heads-up: this guide is for common, mild symptoms only.
See a doctor for serious conditions. Always read the medicine package insert before taking any medication. Tell the pharmacist about any allergies or other medications you're taking. If symptoms persist for more than 3 days, visit a hospital. For emergencies, call 120 (ambulance) or 110 (police).
03 Step-by-Step: Buying Medicine
One line: the whole trip takes 10 minutes and zero Chinese language skills.
Find a pharmacy (药店 yàodiàn)
Look for green cross signs or search "药店" on Baidu Maps/Amap. Major chains: 大参林 (Dashenlin), 老百姓 (Laobaixing), 海王星辰 (Neptune). Most are open 8:00-22:00, some 24 hours.
Describe your symptoms
Show a symptom card in Chinese on your phone — the pharmacist will immediately understand what you need, no Chinese language skills required.
Pharmacist recommends medicine
The pharmacist will show you 1-3 options. They may ask follow-up questions like "How long have you had symptoms?" Use Google Translate if needed. Most pharmacists are trained and helpful. Ask them to write the dosage in numbers: "2片 × 3次/天" (2 tablets × 3 times/day). Take a photo of the instructions for reference.
Pay and keep the receipt
Most pharmacies accept Alipay/WeChat Pay. Cash is also fine. Keep the receipt (发票) for insurance claims. Total cost is usually ¥20-100 for common medications.
04 Quick Reference: Medicine Names
Screenshot this table before your trip. If you know what you need, you can show the Chinese name directly to the pharmacist:
| For | Medicine (English) | Chinese Name | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pain / Fever | Ibuprofen | 布洛芬 | ¥10-25 |
| Pain / Fever | Acetaminophen | 对乙酰氨基酚 | ¥8-20 |
| Cold / Flu | Cold & Flu Relief | 感冒灵 / 999感冒灵 | ¥15-30 |
| Cold / Flu | Lianhua Qingwen | 莲花清瘟 | ¥20-40 |
| Cough | Cough Syrup | 止咳糖浆 / 川贝枇杷膏 | ¥15-35 |
| Sore Throat | Throat Lozenges | 润喉片 / 西瓜霜 | ¥10-20 |
| Diarrhea | Montmorillonite | 蒙脱石散 | ¥15-30 |
| Stomach Pain | Omeprazole | 奥美拉唑 | ¥10-25 |
| Allergy | Loratadine | 氯雷他定 | ¥10-20 |
| Motion Sickness | Dimenhydrinate | 晕车药 / 茶苯海明 | ¥8-15 |
| Eye Drops | Artificial Tears | 人工泪液 | ¥15-40 |
| Bandages | Band-Aid | 创可贴 | ¥5-15 |
* Prices are approximate 2026 pharmacy retail prices. Online delivery may be slightly cheaper.
05 Can't Leave Your Hotel? Get Medicine Delivered
If you're too sick to go out, these apps deliver medicine to your door in 30-60 minutes:
美团买药 (Meituan Medicine)
Most popular option. Open Meituan app, tap "买药", search by symptom or medicine name, pay, delivered in 30 mins.
京东健康 (JD Health)
Part of JD.com. Great selection, authentic products guaranteed. Slightly slower delivery (1-2 hours).
阿里健康 (Ali Health)
On the Taobao/Alipay ecosystem. Good prices, wide selection. Search in Chinese for best results.
06 Tools: Allergy Card & Safe Water
One line: generate a Chinese allergy card to show the pharmacist, and check what's safe to drink while you recover.