Types of medicine

There are many types of medicine in Japan. This is just a general list.

Medicine that you swallow （内服薬, naifukuyaku）

Name	Japanese
Tablet	錠剤、jouzai
Powder	散剤, sanzai or 粉薬, konagusuri
Capsule	カプセル、kapuseru
Syrup	シロップ, shiroppu

Medicine that you apply on the outside of your body （外用薬, gaiyouyaku）

Name	Japanese
Ointment	軟膏剤, nankouzai
Eye drops	点眼薬, tenganyaku
Nose drops	点鼻薬, tenbiyaku
Ear drops	点耳薬, tenjiyaku
Patch	湿布, shippu
Spray	噴霧、funmu
Inhaler	吸入器, kyuunyuuki
Mouthwash	うがい, ugai
Lozenge	トローチ, torochi
Suppository	座薬, zayaku

Note） Any one of these medicines may be prescribed to you as “single-dosage medicines （頓服薬, tonpukuyaku）.” This means they are only to be used if you have symptoms or about to have symptoms. For example, there are medicines you can take for fever or nausea that you would only take if you have those particular symptoms.