Temperature abbreviations?


A certain dialog in my book has a man describing the symptoms of his cold to
the doctor. It reads thus:

> 医者：熱はありますか。  
>  患者：はい、きのうから。夕べはぞくぞく寒気がしたので、高熱が出るんじゃないかとひやひやしたんですが、今のところ **７度８分**
> 【なな・ど・はち・ぶ】くらいでおさまっています。

The English translation on the next page read, "Doctor: Do you have a fever?
Man: Yes, I do, since yesterday. Last night I came down with the chills and
started shivering, and I was afraid I'd get a really high fever. Now it's only
about 37.8°C though."

My question is, was the original Japanese sentence a typo and should have said
**37度８分** instead of just **７度８分** , or do Japanese people commonly just refer
to body temperatures by the number of degrees over 30? Although if it's the
latter, how would you refer to a body temperature of 40 or more (for
argument's sake; ignoring the fact that you'd probably be dead)?




Your book is correct. When talking about human body temperature, 三十 is often
omitted, probably because it is obvious. While there is nothing wrong with
saying 37度8分 (37.8 degrees Celsius), it is often abbreviated to 7度8分. Even 37度
(37 degrees Celsius) without a fractional part sometimes becomes 7度.

You cannot abbreviate the temperature when it is 40 degrees or higher. As for
unusually low body temperature, I would guess that many people avoid
abbreviating, say, 31度5分 (31.5 degrees Celsius) to 1度5分, because it is so
unusual that it is not immediately clear what it means if abbreviated.




Your book is correct. When talking about human body temperature, 三十 is often
omitted, probably because it is obvious. While there is nothing wrong with
saying 37度8分 (37.8 degrees Celsius), it is often abbreviated to 7度8分. Even 37度
(37 degrees Celsius) without a fractional part sometimes becomes 7度.

You cannot abbreviate the temperature when it is 40 degrees or higher. As for
unusually low body temperature, I would guess that many people avoid
abbreviating, say, 31度5分 (31.5 degrees Celsius) to 1度5分, because it is so
unusual that it is not immediately clear what it means if abbreviated.

