客

kè

Lodging · ke

Also rendered: Lodging (this site; keeps the sense that the evil is not native to where it is) · Guest (the literal word, but in English a guest is welcome)

Reviewed · 2026-09

At a glance

Pinyin
kè
Simplified
客
Literal
客 kè — to lodge, to stay somewhere as a guest. The word does for an evil what it does for a visitor: it arrives from outside, it is not part of the house, and it settles wherever it finds room. Chapter 39 is the chapter of this verb. The graph occurs 16 times in it, and almost every occurrence opens a different pain by naming a different address — outside the vessel, inside the vessel, between the stomach and the intestines, below the membrane source, along the spine, in the surge vessel, in the back transport points, in the reverting yin vessel, in the small intestine, in the five stores. What changes from one to the next is only where; the verb never changes. That is the chapter's argument in miniature: pain is one thing happening in many places, and the whole of diagnosis here is the address. The chapter also has a second verb for evil on the move, 入 (to enter), and the two are not used interchangeably: 寒氣入經 means the cold has entered the channel and is travelling, 寒氣客於脉外 means it has stopped somewhere. Entering is movement; lodging is being somewhere.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:客,寄也——**本義為寄居、賓客**,**引申為凡外物之至而止於其所**。「客」讀 kè,**本篇16見**,**為《素問》諸篇用「客」之最密者**。**本篇「入」(「入」讀 rù)2見,「客」16見,二者義別**:**「寒氣入經而稽遲」言其循經而行**,**「寒氣客於脉外」言其止於一所**——**入者行、客者止,一字之別即病機之別**。**惟「厥氣客於陰股」一條不以寒氣為客**,**本篇之客大抵寒氣,此其一變**。

In brief

The verb chapter 39 runs on. Cold qi does not invade in the abstract: it lodges somewhere particular — outside the vessel, inside it, between the stomach and the intestines, along the spine, in a point on the back — and each address yields a different pain with a different answer to pressure.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
What the graph says 客
客,寄也;凡外物之至而止於其所者謂之客
寒氣客於脉外則脉寒 — Suwen 39
2
The chapter's one verb 客
本篇舉痛之病機,皆以「客於」二字領起
寒氣客於腸胃之間,膜原之下 — Suwen 39
3
Outside the vessel 客於脉外
客於脉外則血少,血少故卒然而痛
客於脉外則血少 — Suwen 39
4
Inside the vessel 客於脉中
客於脉中則氣不通,氣不通亦卒然而痛
客於脉中則氣不通 — Suwen 39
5
Entering is not lodging 入
入者循經而行,客者止於一所,本篇二字並用而不混
寒氣入經而稽遲 — Suwen 39
6
The one that is not cold 厥氣客於陰股
本篇之客皆寒氣,惟此一條為厥氣
厥氣客於陰股 — Suwen 39

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
14 passages
Suwen 39 Suwen 39 · 舉痛論 Read in context →
客於脉外則血少,客於脉中則氣不通,故卒然而痛。 客于脉外则血少,客于脉中则气不通,故卒然而痛。
Kè yú mài wài zé xuè shǎo, kè yú mài zhōng zé qì bù tōng, gù cù rán ér tòng.
Lodging outside the vessel it leaves the blood scant; lodging within the vessel it stops the qi from getting through — hence a sudden pain.
**「客於脉外則血少,客於脉中則氣不通,故卒然而痛」是舉痛之第一答**,**以客之內外別血之與氣**——**在脉外者病在血(血少),在脉中者病在氣(氣不通)**,**下文十四條皆自此一條推衍而出**。**「客」「客」讀 kè本篇16見**,**「脉」(「脉」讀 mài)23見**——**全篇無「脈」(「脈」)字,讀者勿以通行本改之**。**「卒然」之卒讀 cù**(見本站「卒」條);**「血」(「血」讀 xuè)本站一律讀 xuè**。
素問·風論 Suwen 42 · 風論 Read in context →
風寒客於脉而不去,名曰癘風,或名曰寒熱。 风寒客于脉而不去,名曰疠风,或名曰寒热。
Fēng hán kè yú mài ér bù qù, míng yuē lì fēng, huò míng yuē hán rè.
When wind and cold lodge in the vessels and do not leave, it is called li wind; it is also called cold and heat.
「風寒客於脉而不去,名曰癘風」——**本篇「客」1見,即此**;**第三十九篇以寒氣客於諸處而為痛,本篇以風寒客於脉而不去而成癘**——**「客」之為言留止也,與「入」不同:入者暫,客者久**。「客」讀 kè**讀 kè**;「癘」讀 lì**「癘風」讀 lì**,**本篇「癘」3見**;「脉」讀 mài**「客於脉」讀 mài**;**「或名曰寒熱」——與上文「名曰寒熱」同名,是癘風亦稱寒熱**。
素問·痺論 Suwen 43 · 痺論 Read in context →
帝曰:其客於六府者,何也? 帝曰:其客于六腑者,何也?
Dì yuē: qí kè yú liù fǔ zhě, hé yě?
The Emperor asks: and when it lodges in the six palaces?
「帝曰:其客於六府者,何也?」——「客」讀 kè,**本篇「客」2見**:**「凡痺之客五藏者」「其客於六府者」**。**藏以「舍」言(内舍於其合),府以「客」言(客於六府)**——**客者,邪自外至而止於其所**;「府」讀 fǔ。
素問·脉解 Suwen 49 · 脉解 Read in context →
所謂上喘而爲水者,陰氣下而復上,上則邪客於藏府間,故爲水也。 所谓上喘而为水者,阴气下而复上,上则邪客于藏府间,故为水也。
Suǒ wèi shàng chuǎn ér wéi shuǐ zhě, yīn qì xià ér fù shàng, shàng zé xié kè yú zàng fǔ jiān, gù wéi shuǐ yě.
What is called panting upward and turning into water: yin qi goes down and then returns upward, and once above, the evil lodges between the stores; hence water.
「邪「客」讀 kè於藏府間」——**本篇「客」2見**;**「藏府」讀 zàng fǔ——「藏」讀 zàng,與「藏物」「藏於中」之 cáng 異讀,詳本篇校勘第九條**;「復」讀 fù、**本篇2見**;**陰氣下而復上,上則邪客於藏府間,故爲水**。
素問·皮部論 Suwen 56 · 皮部論 Read in context →
邪客於皮,則腠理開,開則邪入客於絡脉,絡脉滿則注於經脉,經脉滿則入舍於府藏也。 邪客于皮,则腠理开,开则邪入客于络脉,络脉满则注于经脉,经脉满则入舍于府藏也。
Xié kè yú pí, zé còu lǐ kāi, kāi zé xié rù kè yú luò mài, luò mài mǎn zé zhù yú jīng mài, jīng mài mǎn zé rù shè yú fǔ zàng yě.
When the evil lodges in the skin, the interstices open; once open, the evil goes in and lodges in the network vessels; when these are full it pours into the channel vessels; when the channel vessels are full it enters and takes up its abode in the depots and viscera.
「邪「客」讀 kè於皮,則腠理開,開則邪入「客」讀 kè於絡脉,絡脉滿則注於經脉,經脉滿則入舍於府藏也」——**本篇「客」10見,讀 kè**;**本目「Lodging」一義正為本篇而設:邪自皮而絡、而經、而府藏,每一步皆曰「客」——****「入客於經」7見、「入客於絡脉」2見、「邪客於皮」1見**;**「客」與「入」有別:入者自外而進,客者既進而居;本篇「留而不去,傳入於經」正由客而傳**;「舍」讀 shè、**「入舍於府藏」之舍讀 shè,止也,本篇1見**
素問·水熱穴論 Suwen 61 · 水熱穴論 Read in context →
勇而勞甚,則腎汗出,腎汗出,逢於風,内不得入於藏府,外不得越於皮膚,客於𤣥府,行於皮裏,傳爲胕腫。 勇而劳甚,则肾汗出,肾汗出,逢于风,内不得入于藏府,外不得越于皮肤,客于玄府,行于皮里,传为胕肿。
Yǒng ér láo shèn, zé shèn hàn chū, shèn hàn chū, féng yú fēng, nèi bù dé rù yú zàng fǔ, wài bù dé yuè yú pí fū, kè yú xuán fǔ, xíng yú pí lǐ, chuán wéi fū zhǒng.
When a man exerts himself, or labours too hard, the kidney sweats. The sweat of the kidney comes out and meets wind: it cannot get back inward to the depots and palaces, nor can it get outward past the skin. It lodges in the dark openings, moves in the inner face of the skin, and turns into swelling.
「「客」讀 kè於𤣥府,行於皮裏」——**「客」本篇2見:一指汗與風之客於玄府,一指水之客於五十七穴**;**上文「内不得入於藏府,外不得越於皮膚」,故客於其間**;**「客」讀 kè,寄居也**
素問·調經論 Suwen 62 · 調經論 Read in context →
歧伯曰:風雨之傷人也,先客於皮膚,傳入於孫脉,孫脉滿則傳入於絡脉,絡脉滿則輸於大經脉。血氣與邪并客於分腠之閒,其脉堅大,故曰實。實者外堅充滿,不可按之,按之則痛。 歧伯曰:风雨之伤人也,先客于皮肤,传入于孙脉,孙脉满则传入于络脉,络脉满则输于大经脉。血气与邪并客于分腠之间,其脉坚大,故曰实。实者外坚充满,不可按之,按之则痛。
Qí bó yuē: fēng yǔ zhī shāng rén yě, xiān kè yú pí fū, chuán rù yú sūn mài, sūn mài mǎn zé chuán rù yú luò mài, luò mài mǎn zé shū yú dà jīng mài. Xuè qì yǔ xié bìng kè yú fēn còu zhī jiān, qí mài jiān dà, gù yuē shí. Shí zhě wài jiān chōng mǎn, bù kě àn zhī, àn zhī zé tòng.
Qi Bo says: when wind and rain wound a man they lodge first in the skin, and pass on into the grandchild vessels; when those are full they pass on into the network vessels; when those are full they pour into the great channels. Blood and qi together with the evil lodge in the partings and interstices; the vessel is hard and large, and hence the name, excess. In excess the outside is hard and full: it cannot be pressed, and pressing it hurts.
「風雨之傷人也,先客於皮膚,傳入於孫脉」——**「客」本篇3見**:**「邪客於形」一見(神之微,未入於經絡)**;**「先客於皮膚」一見(風雨之傷人)**;**「血氣與邪并客於分腠之閒」一見(其脉堅大,故曰實)**;**三見皆自外而至、留止而未深之義,與本目全同**;**「客」讀 kè**
素問·繆刺論 Suwen 63 · 繆刺論 Read in context →
夫邪客大絡者,左注右,右注左,上下左右,與經相干,而布於四末。 夫邪客大络者,左注右,右注左,上下左右,与经相干,而布于四末。
Fú xié kè dà luò zhě, zuǒ zhù yòu, yòu zhù zuǒ, shàng xià zuǒ yòu, yǔ jīng xiāng gān, ér bù yú sì mò.
When evil lodges in the great network, the left pours into the right and the right pours into the left. Above and below, left and right, it interferes with the channels and spreads out to the four extremities.
「夫邪客大絡者,左注右,右注左,上下左右,與經相干,而布於四末」——**「客」本篇20見,皆「邪客於某」之式**:**「邪之客於形也」一見,是邪入之始**;**「邪客於皮毛」「邪客於足少陰之絡」「邪客於手陽明之絡」之類凡19見,皆言邪留止於絡**;**「留而不去」本篇4見,是客而不去之狀**;**「客」讀 kè,自外而至、留止而非主居之義**
素問·四時刺逆從論 Suwen 64 · 四時刺逆從論 Read in context →
是故邪氣者,常隨四時之氣血而入客也,至其變化,不可爲度,然必從其經氣,辟除其邪。 是故邪气者,常随四时之气血而入客也,至其变化,不可为度,然必从其经气,辟除其邪。
Shì gù xié qì zhě, cháng suí sì shí zhī qì xuè ér rù kè yě, zhì qí biàn huà, bù kě wéi dù, rán bì cóng qí jīng qì, pì chú qí xié.
Thus evil qi, for its part, always enters and lodges by following the qi and blood of the four seasons. As for the changes it works, no measure can be set for them; yet one must follow the qi of the channel and clear the evil away.
「是故邪氣者,常隨四時之氣血而入客也」——**「客」本篇1見**;**邪氣隨四時之氣血而入客,故其所在隨時而移**;**「客」讀 kè,自外而至而留止之義**
素問·標本病傳論 Suwen 65 · 標本病傳論 Read in context →
人有客氣,有同氣。小大不利治其標,小大利治其本。 人有客气,有同气。小大不利治其标,小大利治其本。
Rén yǒu kè qì, yǒu tóng qì. Xiǎo dà bù lì zhì qí biāo, xiǎo dà lì zhì qí běn.
A person has visiting qi and has kindred qi. When the lesser and the greater do not flow freely, treat the branch; when the lesser and the greater do flow freely, treat the root.
「人有客氣,有同氣」——**「客」讀 kè,本篇1見,在「客氣」之内**;**《說文》:客,寄也;本篇以客氣與同氣對舉**;**一說客氣為外來之邪氣,同氣為人身固有之氣;一說以運氣言之,客氣往來無常,同氣歲歲相同**;**二說並存,本篇之文不足以定其一**
素問·氣交變大論 Suwen 69 · 氣交變大論 Read in context →
其榖黅。復則收政嚴峻,名木蒼凋,胸脅暴痛,下引少腹,善大息。蟲食甘黄,氣客於脾,黅榖乃減,民食少失味,蒼榖乃損。 其谷黅。复则收政严峻,名木苍凋,胸胁暴痛,下引少腹,善大息。虫食甘黄,气客于脾,黅谷乃减,民食少失味,苍谷乃损。
Qí gǔ jīn. Fù zé shōu zhèng yán jùn, míng mù cāng diāo, xiōng xié bào tòng, xià yǐn shào fù, shàn dà xī. Chóng shí gān huáng, qì kè yú pí, jīn gǔ nǎi jiǎn, mín shí shǎo shī wèi, cāng gǔ nǎi sǔn.
Its grain is yellow. When revenge comes the governance of gathering is stern and harsh, the great trees wither blue-green, there is sudden pain in the chest and flanks drawing down into the lower abdomen, and frequent deep sighing. Insects eat the sweet and the yellow, the qi lodges in the spleen, the yellow grain is diminished, the people eat little and lose their taste, and the blue-green grain is spoiled.
「蟲食甘黄,氣客於脾,黅榖乃減」——**「客」本篇1見,止此「氣客於脾」一見**;**客者,自外而至而留止之義;本篇氣客於脾,故黅榖減而民食少失味**;**「客」讀 kè**
素問·生氣通天論 Suwen 3 · 生氣通天論 Read in context →
風客淫氣,精乃亡,邪傷肝也。因而飽食,筋脉横解,腸澼爲痔。因而大飲,則氣逆。因而強力,腎氣乃傷,高骨乃壞。 风客淫气,精乃亡,邪伤肝也。因而饱食,筋脉横解,肠澼为痔。因而大饮,则气逆。因而强力,肾气乃伤,高骨乃坏。
Fēng kè yín qì, jīng nǎi wáng, xié shāng gān yě. yīn ér bǎo shí, jīn mài héng jiě, cháng pì wéi zhì. yīn ér dà yǐn, zé qì nì. yīn ér qiǎng lì, shèn qì nǎi shāng, gāo gǔ nǎi huài.
When wind lodges and its qi overflows, the jing perishes – the evil has wounded the liver. Then if one eats to repletion the sinews and vessels loosen and part, and the intestinal flux becomes piles; if one drinks deeply, the qi counterflows; if one exerts strength, the kidney qi is harmed and the high bones decay with it.
「風客淫氣」——客讀 kè,留止之義;風邪客於人而淫氣太過,精乃亡而邪傷肝;**「客」本篇1見**
素問·玉機真藏論 Suwen 19 · 玉機真藏論 Read in context →
是故風者,百病之長也。今風寒客於人,使人毫毛畢直,皮膚閉而爲熱,當是之時,可汗而發也;或痺不仁腫痛,當是之時,可湯熨及火灸剌而去之。 是故风者,百病之长也。今风寒客于人,使人毫毛毕直,皮肤闭而为热,当是之时,可汗而发也;或痹不仁肿痛,当是之时,可汤熨及火灸剌而去之。
Shì gù fēng zhě, bǎi bìng zhī zhǎng yě. Jīn fēng hán kè yú rén, shǐ rén háo máo bì zhí, pí fū bì ér wéi rè, dāng shì zhī shí, kě hàn ér fā yě; huò bì bù rén zhǒng tòng, dāng shì zhī shí, kě tāng yùn jí huǒ jiǔ cì ér qù zhī.
Therefore wind is the chief of the hundred diseases. When wind-cold lodges in a person it makes the fine body hair stand straight and the skin close so that heat develops; at that point it can be sweated out and dispersed. Or there is impediment, numbness, swelling and pain, and at that point it can be removed by hot compresses, fire cautery and needling.
「風寒客於人」,客者邪之自外而入、留止不去;本篇以風寒客於人發端,下文言其入舍於肺而傳行五藏之次。
Suwen 70 Suwen 70 · 五常政大論 Read in context →
太陽司天,寒氣下臨,心氣上從,而火且明,丹起金乃眚,寒清時舉,勝則水冰,火氣高明。心熱煩,嗌乾善渴,鼽嚏,喜悲數欠。熱氣妄行,寒乃復,霜不時降,善忘,甚則心痛。土乃潤,水豐衍,寒客至,沈陰化,濕氣變物,水飲内蓄,中滿不食,皮𤸷肉苛,筋脉不利,甚則胕腫,身後癰。 太阳司天,寒气下临,心气上从,而火且明,丹起金乃眚,寒清时举,胜则水冰,火气高明。心热烦,嗌干善渴,鼽嚏,喜悲数欠。热气妄行,寒乃复,霜不时降,善忘,甚则心痛。土乃润,水丰衍,寒客至,沉阴化,湿气变物,水饮内蓄,中满不食,皮𤸷肉苛,筋脉不利,甚则胕肿,身后痈。
Tài yáng sī tiān, hán qì xià lín, xīn qì shàng cóng, ér huǒ qiě míng, dān qǐ jīn nǎi shěng, hán qīng shí jǔ, shèng zé shuǐ bīng, huǒ qì gāo míng. Xīn rè fán, yì gān shàn kě, qiú tì, xǐ bēi shuò qiàn. Rè qì wàng xíng, hán nǎi fù, shuāng bù shí jiàng, shàn wàng, shèn zé xīn tòng. Tǔ nǎi rùn, shuǐ fēng yǎn, hán kè zhì, chén yīn huà, shī qì biàn wù, shuǐ yǐn nèi xù, zhōng mǎn bù shí, pí rún ròu kē, jīn mài bù lì, shèn zé fū zhǒng, shēn hòu yōng.
When greater yang governs the heaven the qi of cold descends upon it and the qi of the heart follows upward; fire then is bright and vermilion arises, and metal suffers calamity; cold and clear rise again and again, and where cold prevails the water freezes, so that the qi of fire is bright and high. The illness is heat and oppression in the heart, a dry throat and much thirst, snivelling and sneezing, a tendency to grief and many yawns. The hot qi moves recklessly and cold returns; frost falls out of season; there is much forgetting, and in the extreme pain in the heart. Earth then is moist, water abundant and spreading, cold comes as a guest, heavy cloud transforms, damp qi alters beings, water and drink store within, there is fullness in the middle and no eating, the skin is numb and the flesh callous, the sinews and vessels are not free, and in the extreme water swelling and a boil behind the body.
**「客」本篇1見,止在「寒客至」**;**本站原引《陰陽别論》之「客」;此篇「寒客至」與「沈陰化」相接**

Compounds built on this term

寒氣客於
hán qì kè yú
cold qi lodging in
本篇舉痛之通例
客於脉外
kè yú mài wài
lodging outside the vessel
血少而卒然而痛
客於脉中
kè yú mài zhōng
lodging inside the vessel
氣不通而卒然而痛
厥氣客於陰股
jué qì kè yú yīn gǔ
counterflow qi lodging in the yin thigh
本篇惟一不以寒氣為客者

How it has been translated

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

This sitelodgingthe verb is translated, not transliterated; ke is given once, at the headword, and never intrudes into running text
Unschuldto residerenders the 客於 of the pain chapter as 'resides in'
Wisemanto lodgethe same verb; Wiseman notes that 客 marks an evil that has come from outside and stayed

Entry status

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2026-09

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