Health
Buying Over-the-Counter Medicine in China: Pharmacies, Apps & Useful Phrases
✅ Updated May 2026
Show the pharmacist (药店) the Chinese name or a photo. Useful ones: ibuprofen 布洛芬, paracetamol/acetaminophen 对乙酰氨基酚, cold & flu 感冒药, sore throat lozenges 润喉片, anti-diarrhoea 蒙脱石散, oral rehydration salts 口服补液盐, antihistamine/allergy 氯雷他定, antacid 抗酸药, motion sickness 晕车药. Many basics need no prescription and are cheap.
Ask the pharmacist about dosage and interactions; bring your own essential meds too.
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