SUPERFICIAL:

easily felt with a gentle touch 

Exterior Syndromes present at early stage of exogenous disease.

 FLOATING:

    Felt with a light pressure of the fingers, just resting the fingers on the artery. 

 
Exterior pattern from an invasion by an exterior pathogenic factor.

FLOATING AND TIGHT

Wind-Cold

FLOATING AND RAPID

Wind-Heat

SUPERFICIAL, LARGE AND WEAK

• Prolonged Endogenous Disease
• Outward Floating of Yang Qi
• Critical sign

FLOATING AT THE SUPERFICIAL LEVEL, BUT EMPTY AT THE DEEP LEVEL

Rare Interior Conditions:

Cancer

Anemia 

DEEP PULSE:

felt only on heavy pressure 

Interior Syndromes

DEEP:

can be felt only with a heavy pressure of the fingers and is felt near the bone 

• Interior Conditions
• Problem is in the Yin Organ 

DEEP AND FORCEFUL

Interior Syndomes of the Excess Type

DEEP AND FULL

• Stasis of Qi or Blood in the Interior
• Interior Cold
• Interior Heat

DEEP AND WEAK

Interior Syndromes of the Deficient Type

Deficiency of Qi and Yang 

 SLOW PULSE:

slow, with less than 4 beats per breath, less than

60 beats per minute 

 
Cold Syndromes

SLOW AND FORCEFUL

Interior Syndromes of the Excess Type caused by

Retention of Yin Cold in the Interior

SLOW AND FULL

Indicates Full-Cold

SLOW AND WEAK

•  Interior Syndrome of the Deficient Type due to Deficiency of the Yang Qi

• Empty-Cold from Deficiency of Yang
  

 
RAPID PULSE:

Quick, more than 5 beats per breath; more than 90 beats per minute 

Heat Syndromes

RAPID AND FORCEFUL

Excess Heat Retained in the Interior & Antipathogenic Qi is Still Strong.

RAPID AND WEAK

Deficiency of Yin in Prolonged Illness

RAPID, FLOATING, AND EMPTY

Empty Heat from Yin Deficiency

RAPID, LARGE, WEAK, AND EMPTY PULSE

Outward Floating of Deficient Yang

 DEFICIENCY TYPE PULSE:

general term for all the forceless pulses felt on the three regions and three levels of pressure 

Deficiency of Qi and Blood Causing Deficiency

Type Syndromes

EMPTY:

feels rather big but feels empty on a slightly strong pressure and is soft 

Qi Deficiency

EXCESS TYPE PULSE:

general term for all the forceful pulses felt on the three regions and three levels of pressure 

Excessive Qi and Blood caused by Strong Antipathogenic Qi against the Hyperactive Pathogenic Factor.

FULL:

feels full, rather hard, and rather long 

Full Pattern

SURGING PULSE:

broad, large, and forceful like roaring waves which come on powerfully and fade away 

Excessive Heat

OVERFLOWING PULSE:

feels big, like it overflows 

•  Extreme Heat
• Frequently Appears During Fever
• Felt in Chronic Diseases Characterized by      Interior Heat 

SURGING AND RAPID

Excessive Heat

LARGE PULSE:

surging pulse that lacks the momentum of roaring waves 

Excessive Heat

OVERFLOWING BUT EMPTY

Empty-Heat From Yin Deficiency

THREADY PULSE:

feels like a fine thread but is very distinct and clear 

• Deficiency due to Overstrain and Stress
• Deficiency of Qi and Blood
• Found in Weak Patients with Weak Body Contitution in a Prolonged Illness Manifesting as Yin Deficiency and Blood Deficiency 

FINE:

thinner than normal 

• Deficiency of Blood
• May Indicate Internal Dampness With Severe Deficiency of Qi 

ROLLING PULSE:

feels smooth and flowing like pearls rolling on a dish 

• Phlegm and Retained Fluid
• Retention of Food
• Excessive Heat 

SLIPPERY:

feels smooth, rounded, and slippery to the touch, as if it were oily. it slides under the fingers 

• Phlegm
• Dampness
• Retention of Food
• Pregnancy 

SLIPPERY AND WEAK

Phlegm and Dampness with a Background of

Qi Deficiency

ROLLING PULSE IN PREGNANT WOMAN

• Sufficient and Harmonious Qi and Blood
• Normal 

HESITANT PULSE:

feels rough and uneven 

• Stagnation of Qi and Blood
• Essence is Impaired
• Blood is Sufficient 

CHOPPY PULSE:

feels rough under the finger, it has a jagged edge to it 

• Deficiency of Blood
• Exhaution of Fluids
• May Occur After Profuse and Prolonged Sweating or Vomiting 

HESITANT AND FORCEFUL

Stagnation of Qi and Blood

HESITANT AND WEAK

• Essence is Impaired
• Blood is Insufficient 

STRING-TAUT PULSE:

feels taut, straight and long, giving the feeling of a string of a violin 

Disorders of the Liver and Gallbladder

Painful Syndromes 

Phlegm and Retained Fluid 

WIRY:

feels like a guitar string 

Liver Disharmony

Pain

Phlegm 

TENSE PULSE:

feels tight and forceful like a stretched rope 

Cold

Pain

Retention of Fluid 

TIGHT PULSE:

feels twisted like a thick rope 

• Cold
• Frequently felt in Asthma from Cold in the Lung
• Frequently felt in Stomach Conditions from Cold
• Indicates Pain from an Interior Condition 

TIGHT, WEAK, AND DEEP

Denotes Interior Empty-Cold

SOFT PULSE:

is superficial and thready, and hits the fingers without strength 

Damp Disorders

 SOGGY/

WEAK-FLOATING:

can be felt only on the superficial level. it feels

very soft and is only slightly floating. it disappears

when a stronger pressure is applied to feel the

deep level. 

Presence of Dampness when this Pathogenic Factor occurs against a backrgound of Qi Deficiency

WEAK PULSE:

deep and thready and hits the fingers without strength 

Various Syndromes due to Deficiency of Both

Qi and Blood

WEAK PULSE:

cannot be felt on the superficial level, but only at the deep level 

• Deficiency of Yang
• Sometimes Deficiency of Blood 

ABRUPT PULSE:

feels hurried and rapid with irregularly missed beats 

• Excessive Yang Heat
• Stagnation of Qi and Blood
• Retention of Phlegm or Food 

HASTY:

rapid and it stops at irregulay intervals 

• Extreme Heat
• Deficiency of Heart Qi
• Conditions of Heart Fire 

ABRUPT AND FORECEFUL

Heat Syndromes of Excessive Type Due To:

• Stagnation of Qi and Blood
• Retention of Phlegm or Food
• Swelling and Pain 

ABRUPT AND WEAK

Sign of Prostration (extreme exhaustion)

KNOTTED:

slow with irregular missed beats 

•  Excessive Yin
• Accumulation of Qi
• Retention of Cold Phlegm
• Stagnant Blood 

KNOTTED:

slow and stops at irregular intervals 

• Cold
• Deficiency of Heart Yang 

REGULARLY INTERMITTENT:

slow and weak with missed beats at regular intervals 

• Decline in Zang Qi
• Wind Syndromes
• Painful Syndromes of Rear and Fright
• Traumatic Contusions and Sprains 

INTERMITTENT:

stops at regular intervals 

• Serious Internal Problems of one or more Yin Organs
• Stops Every Four Beats: Serious Condition
• Serious Heart Problem