苏珊:
Morning, Hong! What are you drinking? Smells bitter!
早上好.林红!你在喝什么?闻起来很苦!
林红:
Morning, Susan. This is traditional Chinese herbal medicine. My throat hurts for a long time. I hope this herbal medicine will work.
早上好.苏珊.这是中药.我的嗓子一直不舒服.我希望这个药能起作用.
苏珊:
Oh, I 'm sorry to hear that. Don`t worry. Your throat will surely heal. By the way, are all Chinese medicines so bitter?
哦.听到这个我很难过.不要担心.你的嗓子肯定会好的.顺便问一下.所有的中药都是苦的吗?
林红:
Generally speaking, they are. However, the degree of bitterness is different. Some are even with a little sweet taste. Come, you can taste this. It is not as bitter as it smells.
通常都是苦的.但是苦的程度不一样.有些药甚至还带点甜味呢.来.你可以尝一口我的药.它不像闻起来那么苦.
苏珊:
Are you kidding? No! This is medicine and I am not sick!
你在开玩笑吗?我才不要喝呢!这是药.而且我又没有生病.
林红:
Of course I'm kidding. But a sup won't do you any harm. Almost all of the ingredients of Chinese medicine come from natural resources, which have little side effects.
我当然是开玩笑.不过你尝一口也不会有什么坏处.几乎所有的中药成分都是天然的.没有什么副作用.
苏珊:
That`s good! Oh, my grandma always has a backache. I really want to bring some traditional Chinese medicine for her to try. Is that possible?
那很好呀!对了.我姥姥总是背痛.我很想给她带些中药让她试试.这行得通吗?
林红:
Well, The herbal medicine is usually taken in the form of a “recipe”called a prescription. The TCM practitioner has to diagnose the patient to make up a prescription.
唔.中药通常要按照药方来配制.医生必须依靠对病人的诊断来开药方.
苏珊:
I get it. My grandma must see a TCM practitioner personally.
我明白你的意思.我姥姥必须亲自看中医才行.
林红:
That is the best way. Hower, there are ready-prepared pills, called “patent” herbal medicine. They are effective too. You can go and ask if there are some for your grandma’s back.
那是最好的方式.但是.也有一些现成的丸药.叫做中成药.它们也很有效.你可以去药店问问有没有能治疗你姥姥背痛的中成药.
苏珊:
Thank you! I`ll do that later.
谢谢!我过一会儿就去问.