瘧 简体 疟

nüè

Malaria · nüè

Also rendered: intermittent fever (Clinically accurate and still used, but it names the pattern and drops the disease) · ague (The old English word; period flavour and nothing else to recommend it)

Reviewed · 2026-09

At a glance

Pinyin
nüè
Simplified
疟
Literal
瘧 nüè — the graph is 疒, sickness, plus 虐 nüè, violence, which also gives the reading: a sickness that comes at you. The chapter gives the word its definition in the first exchange and never reopens it. What malaria is, for this text, is a disease that keeps time: it gathers, it breaks out, it withdraws, and it comes back. Every question in the chapter is an attempt to say why the clock is trustworthy. The answer is wei qi, which makes its circuit daily, and an evil that has taken up lodging somewhere along it.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:瘧,熱寒休作,从疒从虐,虐亦聲——**「熱寒休作」四字即瘧之定義**:熱、寒交替,休、作有時。「瘧」讀 nüè,本篇正文 27 見,為全篇第一高頻之實字(「氣」讀 qì 七十二見為虛實兩用之最,而瘧為病名之最)。「瘧」不作「疟」(「疟」);**从「虐」,不从「虎」**,與「瘧」之俗書有別,各從底本。「發」讀 fā,本篇 20 見;「始」讀 shǐ,本篇 3 見;「作」讀 zuò,本篇 19 見;「休」讀 xiū,本篇 3 見。**本篇以「瘧」統三名**:寒瘧、温瘧、癉瘧,**皆「瘧」之一種,猶風之有風厥、勞風、腎風也**,與第三十三篇「病」字統諸證者同一構詞之法。**瘧與第三十一篇「温病」、第三十三篇「熱病」為《素問》熱病三論**:彼二篇言其發而不休,此篇言其休而復發。

In brief

The intermittent fevers. The chapter’s definition is behavioural rather than aetiological: heat and cold by turns, with intervals of rest between the fits. Everything else in the chapter — the daily or alternate-day timing, the fits creeping later and then earlier, the three named kinds — is an account of why a disease behaves like that.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
What the graph says 瘧
从疒从虐,虐亦聲,虐者暴也
瘧之始發也 — Suwen 35
2
The definition 熱寒休作
熱寒交替,休作有時
其蓄作有時者 — Suwen 35
3
Where it begins 先起於毫毛
自皮毛之至細者起
瘧之始發也,先起於毫毛 — Suwen 35
4
The first fit, described 寒慄鼓頷,腰脊俱痛
寒戰、頷動、腰脊皆痛
伸欠乃作,寒慄鼓頷 — Suwen 35
5
The second half of the fit 寒去則内外皆熱
寒退而內外俱熱
頭痛如破,渴欲冷飲 — Suwen 35
6
What makes it a malaria 病以時作
有時而作,有時而休
瘧得有時而休者 — Suwen 35

Occurrences in the classics

Passages where the term does real work, with the original, pinyin and English on the same line.

Display
5 passages
素問·瘧論 Suwen 35 · 瘧論 Read in context →
歧伯對曰:瘧之始發也,先起於毫毛,伸欠乃作,寒慄鼓頷,腰脊俱痛,寒去則内外皆熱,頭痛如破,渴欲冷飲。 歧伯对曰:疟之始发也,先起于毫毛,伸欠乃作,寒栗鼓颔,腰脊俱痛,寒去则内外皆热,头痛如破,渴欲冷饮。
Qí bó duì yuē: nüè zhī shǐ fā yě, xiān qǐ yú háo máo, shēn qiàn nǎi zuò, hán lì gǔ hàn, yāo jǐ jù tòng, hán qù zé nèi wài jiē rè, tóu tòng rú pò, kě yù lěng yǐn.
Qi Bo replies: when malaria first breaks out it begins in the down of the skin; a stretching and a yawning, and then it comes — shivering and trembling, the jaw working, the lower back and spine both aching. When the cold withdraws, inner and outer are both hot, the head aches as if it would split, and there is thirst with a desire for cold drink.
首答之全,一篇之病狀盡於此。「瘧」讀 nüè;「始」讀 shǐ;「發」讀 fā;「先」讀 xiān,本篇 14 見;「起」讀 qǐ;「毫」讀 háo;「毛」讀 máo;「伸」讀 shēn;「欠」讀 qiàn;「乃」讀 nǎi;「作」讀 zuò;「寒」讀 hán,本篇 31 見;「慄」讀 lì,本篇 3 見,不作「栗」(「栗」);「鼓」讀 gǔ;「頷」讀 hàn,本篇 2 見,不作「頜」(「頜」);「腰」讀 yāo;「脊」讀 jǐ,本篇 5 見;「俱」讀 jù;「痛」讀 tòng;「去」讀 qù;「則」讀 zé;「内」讀 nèi,本篇 16 見,不作「內」(「內」);「外」讀 wài,本篇 12 見;「皆」讀 jiē;「熱」讀 rè,本篇 22 見;「頭」讀 tóu,本篇 5 見;「如」讀 rú,本篇 7 見;「破」讀 pò;「渴」讀 kě,本篇 7 見;「欲」讀 yù;「冷」讀 lěng;「飲」讀 yǐn。**此段狀瘧之一作,凡三層**:一曰將作(起於毫毛、伸欠),二曰作寒(寒慄鼓頷、腰脊俱痛),三曰作熱(内外皆熱、頭痛、渴飲)。**三層即下文「陰陽相移」之三態**,與第三十三篇「有病温者,汗出輒復熱」之以汗熱往復言者,一詳一略。
素問·剌瘧 Suwen 36 · 剌瘧 Read in context →
十二瘧者,其發各不同時,察其病形,以知其何脉之病也。 十二疟者,其发各不同时,察其病形,以知其何脉之病也。
Shí èr nüè zhě, qí fā gè bù tóng shí, chá qí bìng xíng, yǐ zhī qí hé mài zhī bìng yě.
The twelve malarias do not all break out at the same hour; examine the form of the illness in order to know which vessel’s disease it is.
「瘧」之目於本站已立(id 1051),所收一條為第三十五篇「瘧之始發也,先起於毫毛…」——**言其發作之狀**。**本篇「瘧」字26見(連篇題二十七見),而所言者是其分**:「十二瘧者,其發各不同時,察其病形,以知其何脉之病也」。「十」讀 shí;「二」讀 èr;「瘧」讀 nüè;「者」讀 zhě;「其」讀 qí;「發」讀 fā;「各」讀 gè;「不」讀 bù;「同」讀 tóng;「時」讀 shí;「察」讀 chá;「病」讀 bìng;「形」讀 xíng;「以」讀 yǐ;「知」讀 zhī;「何」讀 hé;「脉」讀 mài;「之」讀 zhī;「也」讀 yě。**「十二瘧」三字是本篇之綱**:六經之瘧六(太陽、少陽、陽明、太陰、少陰、厥陰)、五藏之瘧五(肺、心、肝、脾、腎)、胃瘧一,合為十二。**與第三十五篇《瘧論》為一總一分**:**彼論瘧之所以寒熱有時(陰陽上下交爭、并於陰陽、衛氣之行),此則列瘧之十二種而各有其刺**——**彼篇無一「剌」字之治法,本篇則36剌而為全篇之主**。**又第三十四段「瘧不渴,閒日而作,剌足太陽;渴而閒日作,剌足少陽」**:**以渴與不渴分太陽與少陽,是十二瘧之外又一分法**——**十二瘧以經藏分,此則以渴否分**。**本篇「瘧」二十六見、「剌」36見,二字當全篇九百三十二字之近百分之七**,**一篇之中瘧與剌二字為其骨,是本篇之為「剌瘧」之實**。**「食而支滿腹大」之「支」讀 zhī,**不作「肢」(「肢」)**。
素問·氣交變大論 Suwen 69 · 氣交變大論 Read in context →
歲火太過,炎暑流行,金肺受邪。民病瘧,少氣欬喘,血溢,血泄,注下,嗌燥耳聾,中熱,肩背熱。上應熒惑星。甚則胸中痛,脅支滿,脅痛,膺背肩胛間痛,兩臂内痛,身熱骨痛,而爲浸淫。收氣不行,長氣獨明,雨水霜寒。上應辰星。上臨少陰少陽,火燔爇,冰泉涸,物焦槁。病反譫妄狂越,欬喘息鳴,下甚血溢,泄不已。太淵絶者,死不治。上應熒惑星。 岁火太过,炎暑流行,金肺受邪。民病疟,少气欬喘,血溢,血泄,注下,嗌燥耳聋,中热,肩背热。上应荧惑星。甚则胸中痛,胁支满,胁痛,膺背肩胛间痛,两臂内痛,身热骨痛,而为浸淫。收气不行,长气独明,雨水霜寒。上应辰星。上临少阴少阳,火燔爇,冰泉涸,物焦槁。病反谵妄狂越,欬喘息鸣,下甚血溢,泄不已。太渊绝者,死不治。上应荧惑星。
Suì huǒ tài guò, yán shǔ liú xíng, jīn fèi shòu xié. Mín bìng nüè, shǎo qì kài chuǎn, xuè yì, xuè xiè, zhù xià, yì zào ěr lóng, zhōng rè, jiān bèi rè. Shàng yìng yíng huò xīng. Shèn zé xiōng zhōng tòng, xié zhī mǎn, xié tòng, yīng bèi jiān jiǎ jiān tòng, liǎng bì nèi tòng, shēn rè gǔ tòng, ér wéi jìn yín. Shōu qì bù xíng, zhǎng qì dú míng, yǔ shuǐ shuāng hán. Shàng yìng chén xīng. Shàng lín shào yīn shào yáng, huǒ fán ruò, bīng quán hé, wù jiāo gǎo. Bìng fǎn zhān wàng kuáng yuè, kài chuǎn xī míng, xià shèn xuè yì, xiè bù yǐ. Tài yuān jué zhě, sǐ bù zhì. Shàng yìng yíng huò xīng.
In a year of fire in surplus, blazing summer heat spreads and moves and the metal of the lung receives evil. The people are ill with malaria, scantness of qi, coughing and panting, blood escaping upward, blood discharged downward, pouring below, dryness of the throat and deafness, heat in the centre and heat in the shoulder and back; it answers above to Mars. If it is severe there is pain in the chest, propping fullness and pain in the flanks, pain between the breast, the back and the shoulder blades, pain on the inner side of both arms, heat of the body and pain in the bones, and the soaking spread of the illness. The qi of gathering does not move and the qi of growth shines alone; rain, water, frost and cold arrive; it answers above to Mercury. If lesser yin or lesser yang presides above, fire blazes and scorches, the icy springs dry up and things are burnt and withered; the illness turns to delirious speech and raving, coughing and panting with a noisy breath, and, below, severe bleeding and unending discharge. Where Taiyuan is cut off there is death and no cure; it answers above to Mars.
「歲火太過,炎暑流行,金肺受邪。民病瘧,少氣欬喘」——**「瘧」本篇1見,止此一見**;**本篇瘧在歲火太過、金肺受邪之候,與少氣、欬喘、血溢並見**;**「瘧」讀 nüè**
素問·金匱真言論 Suwen 4 · 金匱真言論 Read in context →
故春善病鼽衄,仲夏善病胸脅,長夏善病洞泄寒中,秋善病風瘧,冬善病痺厥。 故春善病鼽衄,仲夏善病胸胁,长夏善病洞泄寒中,秋善病风疟,冬善病痹厥。
gù chūn shàn bìng qiú nǜ, zhòng xià shàn bìng xiōng xié, cháng xià shàn bìng dòng xiè hán zhōng, qiū shàn bìng fēng nüè, dōng shàn bìng bì jué.
Thus in spring one is prone to snivelling and nosebleed; in midsummer to disease of the chest and flanks; in late summer to pouring diarrhoea with cold within; in autumn to wind malaria; in winter to impediment inversion.
「秋善病風瘧」——風瘧本站別立一目,此言瘧因風而成;瘧讀 nüè;**「瘧」本篇3見**
Suwen 70 Suwen 70 · 五常政大論 Read in context →
陽明司天,燥氣下臨,肝氣上從,蒼起木用而立,土乃眚,淒滄數至,木伐草萎。脅痛目赤,掉振鼓慄,筋痿不能久立。暴熱至,土乃暑,陽氣鬱發,小便變,寒熱如瘧,甚則心痛。火行于槁,流水不冰,蟄蟲乃見。 阳明司天,燥气下临,肝气上从,苍起木用而立,土乃眚,凄沧数至,木伐草萎。胁痛目赤,掉振鼓栗,筋痿不能久立。暴热至,土乃暑,阳气郁发,小便变,寒热如疟,甚则心痛。火行于槁,流水不冰,蛰虫乃见。
Yáng míng sī tiān, zào qì xià lín, gān qì shàng cóng, cāng qǐ mù yòng ér lì, tǔ nǎi shěng, qī cāng shuò zhì, mù fá cǎo wěi. Xié tòng mù chì, diào zhèn gǔ lì, jīn wěi bù néng jiǔ lì. Bào rè zhì, tǔ nǎi shǔ, yáng qì yù fā, xiǎo biàn biàn, hán rè rú nüè, shèn zé xīn tòng. Huǒ xíng yú gǎo, liú shuǐ bù bīng, zhé chóng nǎi xiàn.
When yang brightness governs the heaven the qi of dryness descends upon it and the qi of the liver follows upward; blue-green arises and wood comes into use and stands, and earth then suffers calamity; chill bleakness comes again and again, wood is felled and grass withers. The illness is pain in the flanks, red eyes, shaking and trembling, drumming and shivering, and flaccid sinews that cannot stand long. Fierce heat arrives and earth turns to summer heat; the yang qi bursts forth pent up, the urine changes, cold and heat come like malaria, and in the extreme there is pain in the heart. Fire moves over the parched, running water does not freeze, and burrowing insects appear.
**「瘧」本篇2見:一在此段「寒熱如瘧」,一在赫曦之紀「其病笑瘧」**;**此段為陽明司天,暴熱至而寒熱如瘧**

Compounds built on this term

痎瘧
jiē nüè
jie malaria
篇首之通稱,以二日一發者該其全體
寒瘧
hán nüè
cold malaria
先寒而後熱,先傷於寒而後傷於風
温瘧
wēn nüè
warm malaria
先熱而後寒,冬中於風而藏於骨髓
癉瘧
dān nüè
dan malaria
但熱而不寒,陰氣先絶而陽氣獨發

How it has been translated

Every rendering below is a decision about which reader is being addressed. There is no neutral option.

Wiseman & FengmalariaThey take the modern disease name, which is what 瘧 has been identified with for a century of Chinese medicine.
UnschuldmalariaUnschuld notes the fitful course in his commentary but keeps the single word in the translation, as we do.
This sitemalariaWe keep one word for 瘧 throughout, and let the chapter supply what kind. Where the text wants us to know which malaria, it says so — cold, warm, dan — and we render those as named kinds under the same headword. What we do not do is translate 瘧 as 'intermittent fever': the fitfulness is real, but the chapter treats it as something to be explained, not as the name.

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-09

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Reading path

Guided routes through the corpus, each built on a handful of chapters and their key terms.

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