Many doctors believe that Chinese expect a pill for every ill but this has never been validated by research data. The aim of our study was to find out what Chinese really expect from medications when they are ill. We interviewed a random sample of the 1068 Chinese in Hong Kong by telephone with a structured questionnaire. Only 40% thought illnesses always needed drug treatment but 76% always expected a prescription from a consultation. Nearly 100% of their last consultations resulted in a prescription. Eighty-five per cent of the prescriptions consisted of three drugs or more. Seven per cent of them thought too many drugs were given. Less than half of the people finished all the medications last prescribed. Those who thought too many drugs were given were less likely to have finished them. Younger age and more education were associated with less likelihood of thinking illnesses always needed drug treatment, consulting doctors for their last illnesses and expecting a prescription for every consultation. We conclude that Chinese do not expect a pill for every ill but doctors prescribe in nearly 100% of the consultations. Doctors may have over-estimated Chinese patients' expectation for medications. They may even have created a high expectation for a prescription in every consultation through their own prescribing habit. More open discussion on the need and expectation for drugs between patients and doctors may help to make prescribing for Chinese patients more rational.