Does 食間 mean during a meal?

No. 食間 means between meals, usually about 2 hours after eating, when the stomach is fairly empty.

The bag says 1日3回 but not before or after meals. What now?

Do not guess. Ask the pharmacist which times to take it.

How often can I take a 頓服 medicine?

Only when you have the symptom written on the bag (for example a fever above 38.5°C). The bag usually states the minimum gap between doses and the daily maximum; if not, ask the pharmacist.

How to read a Japanese medicine bag (薬袋): 食前, 食後, 食間, 頓服

Updated: October 2026

Japanese medicine bags print the directions in Japanese, often in kanji. Misreading one word such as 食間 can mean taking a medicine at the wrong time. These are the most common terms.

When to take it

On the bag	Reading	Meaning
食前	しょくぜん	Before a meal, usually about 30 minutes before
食後	しょくご	After a meal, usually within about 30 minutes
食間	しょっかん	Between meals (about 2 hours after eating), not during a meal
食直前 / 食直後	しょくちょくぜん / しょくちょくご	Right before / right after a meal
起床時	きしょうじ	On waking up
就寝前	しゅうしんまえ	Before going to bed
頓服	とんぷく	Only when needed (for pain, fever…), not at fixed times
〇時間ごと	〇じかんごと	Every ○ hours

How often, how much, how many days

On the bag	Reading	Meaning
1日3回	いちにちさんかい	3 times a day
毎食後	まいしょくご	After every meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
朝・昼・夕	あさ・ひる・ゆう	Morning · noon · evening
1回1錠	いっかいいちじょう	1 tablet each time
錠 / カプセル / 包	じょう / カプセル / ほう	Tablet / capsule / sachet (powder)
〇日分	〇にちぶん	Enough for ○ days
飲み切ってください	のみきってください	Finish the whole course, even if you feel better

Types of medicine

On the bag	Reading	Meaning
内服薬	ないふくやく	Oral medicine
外用薬	がいようやく	External use (cream, patch, drops)
塗り薬	ぬりぐすり	Ointment or cream
貼り薬 / 湿布	はりぐすり / しっぷ	Patch / compress
点眼薬 / 目薬	てんがんやく / めぐすり	Eye drops
坐薬	ざやく	Suppository

Safety tips

Read the drug information sheet (薬剤情報提供書) the pharmacy gives you: it often shows a photo of each tablet and its main purpose.
Bring your medicine notebook (お薬手帳) to every visit and pharmacy so they know what you take.
Do not share medicine, and do not stop antibiotics before the course is finished.
Missed a dose? Do not take a double dose; ask the pharmacist.
Tell the doctor and pharmacist if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or taking other medicine, including medicine brought from abroad.

If unsure, ask the pharmacist: 「飲み方をもう一度教えてください」 (Please explain how to take it once more).

How ViCare helps

Photograph the bag and ViCare reads the Japanese on your phone and turns it into a morning–noon–evening–bedtime schedule. Uncertain parts stay as the original text with a prompt to ask the pharmacist. The app does not look up drug names or effects.

Coming soon to the App Store · Coming soon to Google Play

See the ViCare app

Quick answers

Does 食間 mean during a meal?: No. 食間 means between meals, usually about 2 hours after eating, when the stomach is fairly empty.
The bag says 1日3回 but not before or after meals. What now?: Do not guess. Ask the pharmacist which times to take it.
How often can I take a 頓服 medicine?: Only when you have the symptom written on the bag (for example a fever above 38.5°C). The bag usually states the minimum gap between doses and the daily maximum; if not, ask the pharmacist.

This article is general reference information and does not replace advice from a doctor, pharmacist or public office. Rules can differ by municipality and change over time; check with your clinic or city office.