lā dùzi: 拉肚子 - To have diarrhea

• Keywords: la duzi, laduzi, 拉肚子, have diarrhea in Chinese, Chinese word for diarrhea, upset stomach Chinese, stomach problems in Chinese, food poisoning Chinese, learn Chinese medical terms.
• Summary: Learn how to say “to have diarrhea” in Mandarin Chinese with the common and practical term 拉肚子 (lā dùzi). This guide breaks down its literal meaning (“pull stomach”), explains its cultural context related to food and health, and provides 10 practical example sentences. Whether you're traveling in China or just want to discuss health, this entry will help you talk about this common ailment like a native speaker.

• Pinyin (with tone marks): lā dùzi
• Part of Speech: Verb Phrase (Verb-Object)
• HSK Level: HSK 3
• Concise Definition: To have diarrhea; to suffer from loose bowels.
• In a Nutshell: 拉肚子 is the standard, everyday way to say you have diarrhea in Chinese. Its literal meaning is “to pull the stomach,” which creates a vivid and graphic image of the physical sensation. It's a direct and universally understood term used by everyone from children to doctors in conversational settings.

• 拉 (lā): To pull, drag, or draw out. Think of pulling open a door (拉门 - lā mén).
• 肚 (dù): Stomach, belly, or abdomen. The character component on the left (月) is a variant of 肉 (ròu), meaning “flesh,” indicating it's a body part.
• 子 (zi): A common, neutral-toned noun suffix. It doesn't add much meaning on its own but is often attached to single-syllable nouns to form a more natural-sounding two-syllable word, as in 肚子 (dùzi).

The characters combine to form “pull stomach,” an incredibly descriptive phrase for the experience of diarrhea, where something feels like it's being forcefully pulled out from the abdomen.

While 拉肚子 is a straightforward medical term, its usage is tied to Chinese cultural views on food and health. In China, digestive health is a frequent topic of conversation, and it's often linked directly to what one has eaten. It's very common to hear someone blame a case of 拉肚子 on a specific meal, particularly food considered “unclean” (不干净 - bù gānjìng), “oily” (太油 - tài yóu), or something that has caused an imbalance according to Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). For example, eating too much “cold” (凉 - liáng) food like watermelon or raw vegetables, especially on a hot day, might be blamed for causing diarrhea. This contrasts with the Western biomedical approach, which would focus exclusively on bacteria or viruses. Therefore, when someone says they have 拉肚子, the immediate follow-up question is often “你吃了什么？” (Nǐ chī le shénme? - What did you eat?). This directness is also a cultural point. While an English speaker might use a euphemism like “I have an upset stomach” or “I'm not feeling well,” a Chinese speaker will typically just say “我拉肚子了” (Wǒ lā dùzi le) without any sense of it being crude or TMI (too much information). It's simply a factual statement about one's health.

拉肚子 is the most common and colloquial term used in virtually all daily situations.

• Informal Conversations: This is the go-to phrase when talking to friends, family, or colleagues. “I can't come to dinner tonight, I have diarrhea.”
• Talking to a Doctor: In a clinical consultation, you would use this term to describe your symptoms to a doctor or nurse. They will understand it perfectly.
• Formality: It is considered informal. In a formal medical report or a scientific paper, the more clinical term 腹泻 (fùxiè) would be used. For a learner, however, 拉肚子 is all you'll need 99% of the time.
• Connotation: The term is neutral. It simply describes a physical condition and carries no negative social stigma.

• Example 1:
  • 我昨天吃了不干净的东西，今天早上一直在拉肚子。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ zuótiān chīle bù gānjìng de dōngxi, jīntiān zǎoshang yīzhí zài lā dùzi.
  • English: I ate something unclean yesterday, and I've had diarrhea all morning.
  • Analysis: This is a classic example, directly linking the cause (unclean food) to the symptom. The pattern “吃了…就拉肚子了” (chī le… jiù lā dùzi le - ate… and then got diarrhea) is very common.
• Example 2:
  • 你是不是拉肚子了？你的脸色不太好。
  • Pinyin: Nǐ shì bu shì lā dùzi le? Nǐ de liǎnsè bù tài hǎo.
  • English: Do you have diarrhea? You look pale.
  • Analysis: A common way to ask someone if they are sick, connecting a physical symptom to their appearance (脸色 - liǎnsè - complexion).
• Example 3:
  • 医生，我从昨天晚上开始拉肚子，还觉得有点恶心。
  • Pinyin: Yīshēng, wǒ cóng zuótiān wǎnshang kāishǐ lā dùzi, hái juéde yǒudiǎn ěxīn.
  • English: Doctor, I've had diarrhea since last night, and I also feel a bit nauseous.
  • Analysis: This demonstrates how to use the term in a practical medical context, describing the onset and accompanying symptoms (恶心 - ěxīn - nausea).
• Example 4:
  • 天气太热，吃太多冰淇淋容易拉肚子。
  • Pinyin: Tiānqì tài rè, chī tài duō bīngqílín róngyì lā dùzi.
  • English: The weather is too hot; eating too much ice cream can easily cause diarrhea.
  • Analysis: This sentence reflects the cultural belief about “cold” foods causing stomach issues. 容易 (róngyì) means “easy to,” a useful structure for giving general health advice.
• Example 5:
  • 我今天已经拉肚子拉了五次了。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ jīntiān yǐjīng lā dùzi lā le wǔ cì le.
  • English: I've already had diarrhea five times today.
  • Analysis: This shows how to quantify the experience. Note the repetition of the verb 拉 (lā) before the number of times (五次 - wǔ cì), a common grammatical pattern in Chinese for verb-object phrases.
• Example 6:
  • 如果你拉肚子，记得要多喝水。
  • Pinyin: Rúguǒ nǐ lā dùzi, jìde yào duō hē shuǐ.
  • English: If you have diarrhea, remember to drink more water.
  • Analysis: A simple and practical sentence giving advice, using the “If… then…” structure with 如果 (rúguǒ).
• Example 7:
  • 别担心，我只是有点儿拉肚子，不是食物中毒。
  • Pinyin: Bié dānxīn, wǒ zhǐshì yǒudiǎnr lā dùzi, bùshì shíwù zhòngdú.
  • English: Don't worry, I just have a bit of diarrhea, it's not food poisoning.
  • Analysis: This sentence differentiates between a mild case (有点儿 - yǒudiǎnr - a little bit) and a more serious condition like food poisoning (食物中毒 - shíwù zhòngdú).
• Example 8:
  • 这家餐厅的卫生好像不太好，我每次吃完都会拉肚子。
  • Pinyin: Zhè jiā cāntīng de wèishēng hǎoxiàng bù tài hǎo, wǒ měi cì chī wán dōu huì lā dùzi.
  • English: This restaurant's hygiene doesn't seem very good; every time I eat here, I get diarrhea.
  • Analysis: This uses 每次…都 (měi cì… dōu - every time) to describe a recurring problem, a very useful pattern.
• Example 9:
  • 他因为拉肚子，所以今天的会议请假了。
  • Pinyin: Tā yīnwèi lā dùzi, suǒyǐ jīntiān de huìyì qǐngjià le.
  • English: Because he has diarrhea, he took leave from today's meeting.
  • Analysis: Shows how to use 拉肚子 as a reason for an action, using the “Because… therefore…” (因为…所以… - yīnwèi… suǒyǐ…) structure.
• Example 10:
  • 我不拉肚子，就是肚子有点疼。
  • Pinyin: Wǒ bù lā dùzi, jiùshì dùzi yǒudiǎn téng.
  • English: I don't have diarrhea, my stomach just hurts a bit.
  • Analysis: This is a crucial example that distinguishes 拉肚子 from a general stomach ache (肚子疼 - dùzi téng).

• 拉肚子 (lā dùzi) vs. 肚子疼 (dùzi téng): This is the most common point of confusion for learners.
  • 拉肚子 (lā dùzi): Specifically means diarrhea.
  • 肚子疼 (dùzi téng): Means stomach ache or abdominal pain.
  • You can have one without the other, or both at the same time.
  • Incorrect: “I ate too much and now I feel bloated. 我拉肚子了。” (This should be “我肚子疼” or “我肚子胀 - wǒ dùzi zhàng - my stomach is bloated”).
  • Correct: “我肚子疼，还一直拉肚子。” (Wǒ dùzi téng, hái yīzhí lā dùzi. - My stomach hurts, and I also have constant diarrhea.)
• Overly Graphic “False Friend”: While the literal translation is “pull stomach,” it is not considered vulgar or overly graphic in Chinese. It's the standard term. An English speaker might hesitate to be so direct, but in Chinese, it is perfectly normal and acceptable in almost any context, including polite company. Using a vague term like “my stomach is uncomfortable” (我肚子不舒服 - wǒ dùzi bù shūfu) might lead to follow-up questions to clarify the exact problem.
• Formal vs. Informal: Don't use 拉肚子 in a formal scientific paper. In that context, 腹泻 (fùxiè) is the correct choice. For all spoken and most written communication, 拉肚子 is the word you want.

• 肚子疼 (dùzi téng): Stomach ache. The general feeling of pain in the abdomen, which may or may not accompany diarrhea.
• 腹泻 (fùxiè): Diarrhea. The formal, medical, or written term for diarrhea. You'll see it on medicine packaging.
• 吃坏肚子 (chī huài dùzi): To get an upset stomach from eating something bad. A common phrase used to explain the cause of 拉肚子.
• 食物中毒 (shíwù zhòngdú): Food poisoning. A more serious condition that is a common cause of 拉肚子.
• 上吐下泻 (shàng tù xià xiè): To vomit and have diarrhea. A four-character idiom (chengyu) describing a severe gastrointestinal illness.
• 肠胃炎 (chángwèiyán): Gastroenteritis. The medical name for inflammation of the stomach and intestines.
• 恶心 (ěxīn): To feel nauseous, to feel like vomiting. A symptom that often accompanies 拉肚子.
• 消化不良 (xiāohuà bùliáng): Indigestion. A related but distinct digestive problem.
• 不舒服 (bù shūfu): Uncomfortable; not feeling well. A general term you can use if you don't want to specify the problem.
• 上火 (shàng huǒ): Literally “to get on fire.” A TCM concept of having too much “heat” in the body, which is sometimes blamed for digestive issues.