How to Say "Hospital" in Japanese

病院

byōin[bʲo̞ːĩɴ]

The Japanese word for hospital is 病院 (byōin).

病院 is used to refer to a large medical facility.

Meaning: large medical facility (noun)

Which one should you use?

While 病院 refers to a large hospital, a smaller, specialized medical facility is often called クリニック.

byōin

English speakers often confuse 病院 (byōin, hospital) with 美容院 (biyōin, beauty salon) because they sound very similar.

When calling an ambulance in Japan, you don't just ask for a 病院. You call the emergency number 119, which is the same number used for reporting fires.
In Japan, many people visit a クリニック first for a referral before they are allowed to enter a large 病院. Without a referral letter, patients may be charged a significant extra fee.
The character 院 in 病院 is also used in 大学院 for 'graduate school'. This reveals that the word describes an institution or a fenced-in compound rather than just a medical building.

病院に行けよ。
Go to the hospital.
This sentence is useful for giving a command to go to the 病院.
Tatoeba #182975 by small_snow, translation #20096 by yifen238
病院に行った。
I went to the hospital.
This sentence is useful for stating that you went to the 病院.
Tatoeba #2661778 by e4zh1nmcz, translation #2661742 by CK
ここは病院です。
This is a hospital.
This sentence is useful for identifying a place as a 病院.
Tatoeba #2604697 by tommy_san, translation #61614 by adjusting
わたしのおばあさんはびょういんで働いています。
My grandmother works at a hospital.
190 more sentences on Tatoeba

Misaki and Yota are talking about an appointment at a clinic.

美咲 Misaki

近くに大きな病院がありますか？
chikaku ni ookina byouin ga arimasu ka?
Is there a large hospital nearby?
陽太 Yota

はい、駅の前に病院があります。
hai, eki no mae ni byouin ga arimasu.
Yes, there is a hospital in front of the station.
美咲 Misaki

そこはいつも混んでいますか？
soko wa itsumo konde imasu ka?
Is it always crowded there?
陽太 Yota

はい、とても混んでいますよ。
hai, totemo konde imasu yo.
Yes, it is very crowded.

Sources

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