寒氣 简体 寒气

hán qì

Cold qi

Also rendered: Cold qi (this site; qi is left untranslated, as everywhere on this site) · Cold (shorter, but drops the half of the term that does the work)

Reviewed · 2026-09

At a glance

Pinyin
hán qì
Simplified
寒气
Literal
寒氣 hán qì — cold qi. Chapter 39 is the Suwen's great monosolution: one quality of qi is made responsible for nearly every pain there is. The graph 寒 occurs 22 times in the chapter and the compound 寒氣 16 times, and the mechanism is stated once and then never re-stated, only relocated: cold enters or lodges, what should flow slows and stops, and where it stops there is pain. Heat is the only thing that undoes it — 得炅則痛立止, get heat and the pain stops at once — and cold's return is the only thing that makes a pain last. Everything else in the chapter is anatomy: where the cold is.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:寒,凍也——**本義為凍、為冷**;**氣,雲气也**——**本義為雲氣,引申為一身流行之用**。「寒」讀 hán,**本篇22見**;「寒」「氣」,**本篇16見**——**二字相連,為全篇痛證之獨一病因**。**本篇「熱」(「熱」讀 rè)6見、「炅」(「炅」讀 jiǒng)5見**,**寒與二者相對**:**寒則痛作,得熱、得炅則痛止**——**篇末九氣「寒則氣收,炅則氣泄」,即此對待之總括**。

In brief

The agent behind every pain in chapter 39. Its action never varies — it slows what should flow — and what varies is only where it lodges and whether heat arrives to meet it.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
What the graphs say 寒氣
寒,凍也;氣,雲气也;寒氣者,失其時之寒,中於人則為病
寒氣入經而稽遲 — Suwen 39
2
The one cause 寒氣客於…
本篇諸痛,皆推本於寒氣
寒氣客於經脉之中 — Suwen 39
3
What it does to flow 稽遲、泣而不行
寒氣入經,血氣為之稽遲而不行
寒氣入經而稽遲,泣而不行 — Suwen 39
4
Met by heat 與炅氣相薄
寒與炅相薄則脉滿,滿則痛不可按
與炅氣相薄則脉滿 — Suwen 39
5
Twice struck 重中於寒
一寒可止,重中於寒則痛久
因重中於寒 — Suwen 39
6
What removes it 得炅則痛立止
得熱則寒散,寒散則痛止
得炅則痛立止 — Suwen 39

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
10 passages
Suwen 39 Suwen 39 · 舉痛論 Read in context →
寒氣客於經脉之中,與炅氣相薄則脉滿,滿則痛而不可按也。 寒气客于经脉之中,与炅气相薄则脉满,满则痛而不可按也。
Hán qì kè yú jīng mài zhī zhōng, yǔ jiǒng qì xiāng bó zé mài mǎn, mǎn zé tòng ér bù kě àn yě.
Cold qi lodging within the conduit vessels presses against the warm qi and fills the vessel, and once filled, the pain cannot bear pressure.
**「寒氣客於經脉之中,與炅氣相薄則脉滿,滿則痛而不可按也」是十四條中惟一以寒熱相爭為說者**——**其餘諸條寒自為寒,此條則寒與炅薄,故滿而不可按**,**與「寒氣客於脉外」之按之痛止適相反**。**「炅」(「炅」讀 jiǒng)讀 jiǒng,義即熱,本篇不作「熱」字**;**「薄」(「薄」讀 bó)讀 bó,迫也、爭也**,**不作厚薄之薄**。**「脉」(「脉」讀 mài)本篇23見,全篇無「脈」(「脈」)**。**「滿」為脉滿,非腹滿**,讀者勿與第四十篇以後之腹滿相混。
素問·痺論 Suwen 43 · 痺論 Read in context →
歧伯曰:痛者,寒氣多也,有寒故痛也。 歧伯曰:痛者,寒气多也,有寒故痛也。
Qí bó yuē: tòng zhě, hán qì duō yě, yǒu hán gù tòng yě.
Qi Bo replies: the painful ones have much cold qi; where there is cold there is pain.
「痛者,寒氣多也,有寒故痛也」——**本篇「寒氣」2見,「寒」12見**;「寒」讀 hán。**此句即上文「寒氣勝者,爲痛痺」之註**——**命名與釋義出於一語,本篇自相發明**;**與下文「其熱者,陽氣多,陰氣少」對舉**。
素問·長刺節論 Suwen 55 · 長刺節論 Read in context →
病在骨,骨重不可舉,骨髓酸痛,寒氣至,名曰骨痺。 病在骨,骨重不可举,骨髓酸痛,寒气至,名曰骨痹。
Bìng zài gǔ, gǔ zhòng bù kě jǔ, gǔ suǐ suān tòng, hán qì zhì, míng yuē gǔ bì.
Trouble in the bone, the bones so heavy they cannot be lifted, with sore aching in the marrow and cold qi arrived within, is called bone impediment.
「病在骨,骨重不可舉,骨髓酸痛,「寒」讀 hán「氣」讀 qì至,名曰骨痺」——**本篇「寒氣」1見,讀 hán qì**;**寒氣至者,寒入於骨至深之處,故名骨痺**;**本篇寒與濕並舉者,見「傷於寒濕」(肌痺之因),是二氣合而為痺**
素問·調經論 Suwen 62 · 調經論 Read in context →
歧伯曰:陽受氣於上焦,以温皮膚分肉之閒,令寒氣在外,則上焦不通,上焦不通,則寒氣獨留於外,故寒慄。 歧伯曰:阳受气于上焦,以温皮肤分肉之间,令寒气在外,则上焦不通,上焦不通,则寒气独留于外,故寒栗。
Qí bó yuē: yáng shòu qì yú shàng jiāo, yǐ wēn pí fū fēn ròu zhī jiān, lìng hán qì zài wài, zé shàng jiāo bù tōng, shàng jiāo bù tōng, zé hán qì dú liú yú wài, gù hán lì.
Qi Bo says: the yang receives its qi from the upper burner, and by it warms the skin and the partings of the flesh. Let cold qi be without, and the upper burner will not pass through; when the upper burner does not pass through, the cold qi stays outside alone, and there is shivering.
「令寒氣在外,則上焦不通,上焦不通,則寒氣獨留於外,故寒慄」——**「寒氣」本篇4見,分屬三證**:**陽虚則外寒:寒氣在外則上焦不通,獨留於外而寒慄**;**陰虚(誤治之虚):因寒飲食,寒氣熏滿則血泣氣去**;**陰盛則内寒:厥氣上逆,寒氣積於胸中而不冩,温氣去而寒獨留**;**「寒」本篇16見**;**「慄」讀 lì**
素問·天元紀大論 Suwen 66 · 天元紀大論 Read in context →
厥陰之上,風氣主之;少陰之上,熱氣主之;太陰之上,濕氣主之;少陽之上,相火主之;陽明之上,燥氣主之;太陽之上,寒氣主之;所謂本也,是謂六元。 厥阴之上,风气主之;少阴之上,热气主之;太阴之上,湿气主之;少阳之上,相火主之;阳明之上,燥气主之;太阳之上,寒气主之;所谓本也,是谓六元。
Jué yīn zhī shàng, fēng qì zhǔ zhī; shào yīn zhī shàng, rè qì zhǔ zhī; tài yīn zhī shàng, shī qì zhǔ zhī; shào yáng zhī shàng, xiàng huǒ zhǔ zhī; yáng míng zhī shàng, zào qì zhǔ zhī; tài yáng zhī shàng, hán qì zhǔ zhī; suǒ wèi běn yě, shì wèi liù yuán.
Above ceasing yin wind qi presides; above lesser yin heat qi presides; above greater yin damp qi presides; above lesser yang the minister fire presides; above yang brightness dryness qi presides; above greater yang cold qi presides. These are what is called the root, and together they are called the six origins.
「太陽之上,寒氣主之」——**「寒氣」讀 hán qì,本篇1見**;**此以寒氣為天之六氣之一,與第三十九篇主痛之寒氣同名而用異**;**「太陽」讀 tài yáng;「主」讀 zhǔ**;**本篇六氣各有所主之氣,此六者即下文所謂「六元」**
素問·六微㫖大論 Suwen 68 · 六微㫖大論 Read in context →
少陽之上,火氣治之,中見厥陰。陽明之上,燥氣治之,中見太陰。太陽之上,寒氣治之,中見少陰。厥陰之上,風氣治之,中見少陽。少陰之上,熱氣治之,中見太陽。太陰之上,濕氣治之,中見陽明。所謂本也。本之下,中之見也;見之下,氣之標也。本標不同,氣應異象。 少阳之上,火气治之,中见厥阴。阳明之上,燥气治之,中见太阴。太阳之上,寒气治之,中见少阴。厥阴之上,风气治之,中见少阳。少阴之上,热气治之,中见太阳。太阴之上,湿气治之,中见阳明。所谓本也。本之下,中之见也;见之下,气之标也。本标不同,气应异象。
Shào yáng zhī shàng, huǒ qì zhì zhī, zhōng jiàn jué yīn. Yáng míng zhī shàng, zào qì zhì zhī, zhōng jiàn tài yīn. Tài yáng zhī shàng, hán qì zhì zhī, zhōng jiàn shào yīn. Jué yīn zhī shàng, fēng qì zhì zhī, zhōng jiàn shào yáng. Shào yīn zhī shàng, rè qì zhì zhī, zhōng jiàn tài yáng. Tài yīn zhī shàng, shī qì zhì zhī, zhōng jiàn yáng míng. Suǒ wèi běn yě. Běn zhī xià, zhōng zhī jiàn yě; jiàn zhī xià, qì zhī biāo yě. Běn biāo bù tóng, qì yìng yì xiàng.
Above lesser yang, fire qi governs, and in the middle one sees ceasing yin. Above yang brightness, dryness qi governs, and in the middle one sees greater yin. Above greater yang, cold qi governs, and in the middle one sees lesser yin. Above ceasing yin, wind qi governs, and in the middle one sees lesser yang. Above lesser yin, heat qi governs, and in the middle one sees greater yang. Above greater yin, damp qi governs, and in the middle one sees yang brightness. This is what is called the root. Below the root is what is seen in the middle; below what is seen is the tip of the qi. Root and tip are not the same, and the images the qi answers with are different.
「太陽之上,寒氣治之」——**「寒氣」本篇1見,止在此句**;**「寒」讀 hán**;**本站「寒氣」以第三十九篇諸痛為主,本篇則為天之六氣之一,同名而用異**;**本段六氣之目:火氣、燥氣、寒氣、風氣、熱氣、濕氣**
素問·氣交變大論 Suwen 69 · 氣交變大論 Read in context →
歲水太過,寒氣流行,邪害心火。民病身熱煩心,躁悸,陰厥,上下中寒,譫妄心痛。寒氣早至。上應辰星。甚則腹大脛腫,喘欬,寖汗出,憎風。大雨至,埃霧朦鬱,上應鎮星。上臨太陽,雨冰雪,霜不時降,濕氣變物。病反腹滿腸鳴,溏泄食不化,渴而妄冒。神門絶者,死不治,上應熒惑、辰星。 岁水太过,寒气流行,邪害心火。民病身热烦心,躁悸,阴厥,上下中寒,谵妄心痛。寒气早至。上应辰星。甚则腹大胫肿,喘欬,寖汗出,憎风。大雨至,埃雾朦郁,上应镇星。上临太阳,雨冰雪,霜不时降,湿气变物。病反腹满肠鸣,溏泄食不化,渴而妄冒。神门绝者,死不治,上应荧惑、辰星。
Suì shuǐ tài guò, hán qì liú xíng, xié hài xīn huǒ. Mín bìng shēn rè fán xīn, zào jì, yīn jué, shàng xià zhòng hán, zhān wàng xīn tòng. Hán qì zǎo zhì. Shàng yìng chén xīng. Shèn zé fù dà jìng zhǒng, chuǎn kài, qǐn hàn chū, zēng fēng. Dà yǔ zhì, āi wù méng yù, shàng yìng zhèn xīng. Shàng lín tài yáng, yǔ bīng xuě, shuāng bù shí jiàng, shī qì biàn wù. Bìng fǎn fù mǎn cháng míng, táng xiè shí bù huà, kě ér wàng mào. Shén mén jué zhě, sǐ bù zhì, shàng yìng yíng huò, chén xīng.
In a year of water in surplus, the qi of cold spreads and moves and the evil harms the fire of the heart. The people are ill with heat of the body and fretting of the heart, restlessness and palpitations, yin counterflow, cold struck through the upper and the lower, delirious speech and pain in the heart; the cold qi arrives early. It answers above to Mercury. If it is severe the abdomen is enlarged and the shins swell, there is panting and coughing, sweating in sleep and hatred of wind. Great rain comes, dust and mist are dim and pent; it answers above to Saturn. If greater yang presides above, there is rain, ice and snow, frost falls out of season, and the qi of dampness alters things. The illness turns to fullness of the abdomen and rumbling in the bowels, sloppy diarrhoea with food undigested, and thirst with a veiled and wandering mind. Where Shenmen is cut off there is death and no cure; it answers above to Mars and Mercury.
「歲水太過,寒氣流行,邪害心火」——**「寒氣」本篇2見,皆在歲水太過一段:寒氣流行、寒氣早至**;**本篇五氣各有流行之辭:風氣流行、炎暑流行、雨濕流行、燥氣流行、寒氣流行,寒氣其一**;**「寒」讀 hán、「氣」讀 qì**
素問·生氣通天論 Suwen 3 · 生氣通天論 Read in context →
陽氣者,精則養神,柔則養筋,開闔不得,寒氣從之,乃生大僂。陷脉爲瘻,留連肉腠,俞氣化薄,傳爲善畏,及爲驚駭。 阳气者,精则养神,柔则养筋,开阖不得,寒气从之,乃生大偻。陷脉为瘘,留连肉腠,俞气化薄,传为善畏,及为惊骇。
Yáng qì zhě, jīng zé yǎng shén, róu zé yǎng jīn, kāi hé bù dé, hán qì cóng zhī, nǎi shēng dà lóu. xiàn mài wéi lòu, liú lián ròu còu, shù qì huà bó, chuán wéi shàn wèi, jí wéi jīng hài.
The yang qi in its fineness nourishes the shen, in its suppleness nourishes the sinews. If opening and closing do not accord, the cold qi follows it in and there is great hunching. Sunk into the vessels it becomes fistula; lingering in the flesh and its crevices, the qi of the transport points turns oppressive, and what it transmits is a readiness to fear and to be terrified.
「寒氣從之,乃生大僂」——開闔不得,寒氣因而從入,乃生大僂;僂讀 lóu;下文「陷脉爲瘻,留連肉腠」;**「寒氣」本篇1見**
素問·脉要精微論 Suwen 17 · 脉要精微論 Read in context →
帝曰:諸癰腫筋攣骨痛,此皆安生?歧伯曰:此寒氣之腫,八風之變也。帝曰:治之奈何? 帝曰:诸痈肿筋挛骨痛,此皆安生?岐伯曰:此寒气之肿,八风之变也。帝曰:治之奈何?
dì yuē: zhū yōng zhǒng jīn luán gǔ tòng, cǐ jiē ān shēng? qí bó yuē: cǐ hán qì zhī zhǒng, bā fēng zhī biàn yě. dì yuē: zhì zhī nài hé?
The Emperor says: All the swellings, the sinew contractures and the bone pains — how do these arise? Qibo says: These are swellings of cold qi, the changes of the eight winds. The Emperor says: How does one treat them?
「此寒氣之腫」,癰腫、筋攣、骨痛皆寒氣之腫、八風之變。寒氣稽留則腫。
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.
**「寒氣」本篇2見:一在「氣寒氣涼,治以寒涼」(見於三十七之段),一在此段太陽司天「寒氣下臨」**;**此段為太陽司天,寒氣下臨而心氣上從**

Compounds built on this term

寒氣入經
hán qì rù jīng
cold qi entering the channel
本篇第一條病機,稽遲而不行
寒氣客於
hán qì kè yú
cold qi lodging in
本篇舉痛之通例
寒氣稽留
hán qì jī liú
cold qi held up and staying
與炅氣從上相對
重中於寒
chóng zhòng yú hán
struck by cold a second time
讀 chóng,痛之久者由此

How it has been translated

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

This sitecold qiboth halves kept; neither is capitalised, since 寒氣 is a description rather than a proper name
Unschuldcold qithe same two words, unhyphenated
Wisemancold qiWiseman notes that 寒 as a pathogen is 'cold' rather than 'the cold', there being no article in the source

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2026-09

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