发烧

You usually pair it with the verb 有 (to have) or just use it as a verb itself. For example, 我发烧了 means 'I have developed a fever.' The 了 at the end is your best friend here. It shows that your temperature changed from normal to hot. You can also add adverbs like 高 (high) to say 发高烧 (having a high fever). Don't worry about complex grammar; it's a very sturdy phrase.

Use it whenever you feel unwell and your forehead is toasty. It works at the hospital when talking to a nurse. It works when texting your boss to say you can't come in. It even works when talking to your mom. If you are at a pharmacy, just pointing to yourself and saying 我发烧了 will get you the right medicine. It is a survival essential for living in China.

Do not use 发烧 to describe the weather being hot. For a hot day, use 热. Also, don't use it to mean you are 'hot' in an attractive way. That would be a very confusing compliment! Avoid using it if you are just feeling a bit warm from exercise. It specifically implies a medical condition or a very intense passion for a hobby.

In China, people take fevers very seriously. You will often hear the advice 'drink more hot water' (多喝热水). It sounds like a cliché, but it is the universal Chinese remedy. Also, 'fever' has a slang side. An 'audiophile' or a hardcore hobbyist is called a 发烧友. It means their passion for a hobby is so intense it's like they have a permanent fever for it.

If you want to be specific, use 发高烧 for a high fever. If you are just starting to feel warm, you might say 有点发烧 (a little bit of a fever). In medical settings, you might hear 体温高 (body temperature is high), but 发烧 remains the king of daily conversation. If you see someone obsessed with expensive cameras, call them a 摄影发烧友.