Strength

Kaptchuk CAM Description

Big but soft and weak-balloon partially filled with water.
Pulse of
EMPTY Feels empty on heavier palpation and often slow
Deficiency
(xu mai) Type Yin pulse
Qi & Blood deficiency
Combination of thin, empty, and floating pulses
Extremely soft, it is less clear than a thin pulse and is perceptible only in
SOGGY
Soft superficial position. The slightest pressure makes it disappear.
(ru mai) Yin pulse
Deficient Blood or Jing and sometimes Damp
Floating, big and weak similar to empty. It is larger and less distinct than the
SCATTERED empty and tends to be felt as it recedes.
N/A
(san mai) Yin pulse
KI Yang exhausted and floating away.
Big and strong, pounding against all 3 fingers at all levels
FULL Pulse of
Yang pulse
(shi mai) excess type
Sign of excess
Depth
Kaptchuk CAM Description
Superficial, buoyant w/very light palpation but obscured w/ heavier palp.
FLOATING
Superficial Yang pulse type
(fu mai) Floating & tight or rapid = EPF, Floating & empty = yin def.
Feels like the stem of a green onion solid on outside but empty within.
HOLLOW
N/A Yin pulse
(kong mai) Deficient Blood and often seen after great loss of blood.
Combination of wiry and floating, with aspects of empty. Feels like the tight skin
LEATHER on top of a drum.
N/A
(ge mai) Yin pulse
Deficient Blood or Jing
Sinking, found with heavier palpation
DEEP/SINKING
Deep Yin pulse type
(chen mai) Yin organ conditions: qi & yang def. (weak) or qi or blood stasis (full)
Soft, weak and somewhat thin. Usually felt at the deep level.
FRAIL
Weak Yin pulse
(ruo mai) Extremely deficient qi/yang.
Deep as if below bone
HIDDEN
N/A Yin pulse
(fu mai)
Very deep and wiry, and usually long and strong. Form of Hidden.
CONFINED/
N/A Yang within Yin
PRISON (lao mai) Obstruction due to Cold

The 28 Pulse Qualities Page 1 of 4 NCCA Study Guide

 Width
Kaptchuk CAM Description
Distinct & clear, like a fine thread
THIN/FINE
Thready Yin pulse
(xi mai) Blood deficiency (will fill out with tx, esp. with moxa) and often qi defic.
Fine and soft but lacks the clarity of the thin pulse
MINUTE Barely perceptible and seems to disappear.
N/A
(wei mai) Yin pulse
Severe qi and blood deficiency
Surges with the strength of a big pulse to hit the fingers at all 3 depths, but
FLOODING leaves with less strength, like a receding wave.
Surging
(hong mai) Yin in Yang
Heat has injured Fluids and Yin.
Distinct & broad
BIG/WIDE
N/A Yang pulse
(da mai) Heat in Stomach or Intestines
Perceptible beyond the 1st and 3rd positions.
LONG
N/A Yang pulse
(chang mai) This is OK unless it is also tight and wiry then it is excess or heat
SHORT
N/A Yin pulse
(duan mai) Qi deficiency
Rhythm
Kaptchuk CAM Description
Slow pulse that misses beats irregularly
KNOTTED Yin pulse
Knotted
(jie mai) Cold obstructing qi or blood or deficiency (qi, blood or jing)

Fast pulse that misses beats irregularly

HURRIED
Abrupt Yang pulse
(cue mai) Heat agitating qi and blood
Misses more beats than Knotted or Hurried but beats in a regular rhythm
INTERMITTENT Regularly
Yin pulse
(dai mai) intermittent
Serious HT disharmony or Yin organ deficiency/exhaustion
Healthy, perfectly balanced pulse
MODERATE Normal in depth, speed, strength and width
N/A
(huan mai)
Sometimes considered slightly slippery

The 28 Pulse Qualities Page 2 of 4 NCCA Study Guide

 Speed
Kaptchuk CAM Description
More than 5 beats per respiration or higher than the given normal rate
RAPID
Rapid Yang pulse type
(shu mai) Heat is indicated
Combo of Short, Tight, Slippery and Rapid.
SPINNING BEAN/
MOVING (dong N/A
Yang pulse
mai) Shock, heart palpitations, anxiety, fright, fever or pain
Less than 4 beats per respiration or lower than the normal rate
SLOW
Slow Yin pulse type
(chi mai) Cold is indicated
Shape
Kaptchuk CAM Description
Very fluid. Slides under the finger, smooth & oily. Common in Pregnancy
SLIPPERY Yang within Yin
Rolling
(hua mai) Full = damp or phlegm
Empty = damp or phlegm with qi deficiency
Uneven, rough, jagged edges
Can be irregular in rhythm & strength
CHOPPY
Hesitant Yin pulse usually
(se mai) When thin = Blood or Jing deficiency
When full = Congealed Blood
Taut, hard, like a guitar string pushing against the fingers evenly at all
WIRY levels. No fluidity. Can be deficient or full
String-taut
(xuan mai) Yang pulse
LR/GB stagnation, problems or pain or phlegm causing obstructions
Strong and seems to bounce from side to side like a taut rope. Fuller and
TIGHT more elastic than wiry. It vibrates, can seem faster than it is.
Tense
(jin mai) Yang within Yin
Excess, Cold/pain and stagnation

The 28 Pulse Qualities Page 3 of 4 NCCA Study Guide

 The Normal Pulse
Has Stomach qi (superficial level)
o Feels gentle
·
·

o Feels calm
· Trees nicely swaying in the wind, no disturbance or agitation.
· It feels like a cow chewing cud.

o Has 4 beats per respiration

erratic)

Has Spirit (middle level

o Soft
· it should be soft on outside and strong and resilient on inside.

o Neither big nor small

Normal Pulse Rates
Age Rate
o Regular in rhythm & quality 0-4 90+
· 4-10 84
10-35 76-80
35-50 70-72
Has a Root (deep level 50+ 68
o There is clarity in the deep position (yin) and in the 3 rd pulse positions.
o Clarity = pulse should be a distinct entity

The 28 Pulse Qualities Page 4 of 4 NCCA Study Guide