厥

jué

Inversion

Also rendered: Inversion (this site; 厥 kept as inversion, as in 厥逆 and 痿厥) · Reversal (where the emphasis falls on the upward turn rather than on the failing below)

Reviewed · 2026-09-30

At a glance

Pinyin
jué
Simplified
厥
Literal
厥 jué — the single graph this chapter is built on, and the only one of the Suwen's chapter headings that names a mechanism rather than a disease. The chapter's first answer splits it in two along the temperature gradient: yang qi failing below gives cold inversion, yin qi failing below gives heat inversion. Both are traced upward along the leg, because both begin where the two qi gather in the foot.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:厥,發石也,从厂欮聲。「厥」讀 jué、**本篇27見,篇題與「厥逆」並在其中**;**本篇通例作「厥」,無一作「蹷」者**;**「厥」與「逆」連言凡十見,為厥逆之專名**。

In brief

Reversal: a failure of the qi at the root that shows itself in the extremities — cold hands and feet, or hot soles, and in its counterflow form, loss of awareness. Chapter 45 is the Suwen’s treatise on it, and it gives the word one anatomy: the lower body, the foot, and the paths yin and yang take through them. The site renders 厥 inversion throughout, following the existing entries for 煎厥 and 薄厥.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
The graph 厥
厥者氣逆而上,手足為之寒熱
太陽厥逆,僵仆,嘔血 — Suwen 45
2
The cold half 寒厥
陽氣衰於下,手足為之寒
則爲寒厥 — Suwen 45
3
The hot half 熱厥
陰氣衰於下,足下為之熱
則爲熱厥 — Suwen 45
4
How it reaches the awareness 陽氣亂則不知人也
氣逆於上,陽氣亂則暴不知人
逆則陽氣亂 — Suwen 45
5
Taken together with counterflow 厥逆
本篇論六經之厥狀已畢,復論厥逆十二條
手心主少陰厥逆 — Suwen 45
6
How it is treated 盛則寫之,虚則補之
不盛不虚者,以經取之
盛則寫之,虚則補之 — Suwen 45

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
11 passages
Suwen 45 Suwen 45 · 厥論 Read in context →
歧伯對曰:陽氣衰於下,則爲寒厥;陰氣衰於下,則爲熱厥。 歧伯对曰:阳气衰于下,则为寒厥;阴气衰于下,则为热厥。
Qí bó duì yuē: yáng qì shuāi yú xià, zé wéi hán jué; yīn qì shuāi yú xià, zé wéi rè jué.
Qi Bo replies: when yang qi declines below, this becomes cold inversion; when yin qi declines below, this becomes heat inversion.
**「陽氣衰於下,則爲寒厥」——**「厥」讀 jué、**本篇27見,篇題亦與焉**;**答語一分寒、熱二厥,為全篇之綱**;「衰」讀 shuāi,**衰者,氣之不足而非邪之不去**。
素問·病能論 Suwen 46 · 病能論 Read in context →
帝曰:有病厥者,診右脉沈而緊,左脉浮而遟,不然,病主安在?歧伯曰:冬診之,右脉固當沈緊,此應四時;左脉浮而遟,此逆四時。 帝曰:有病厥者,诊右脉沉而紧,左脉浮而迟,不然,病主安在?歧伯曰:冬诊之,右脉固当沉紧,此应四时;左脉浮而迟,此逆四时。
Dì yuē: yǒu bìng jué zhě, zhěn yòu mài chén ér jǐn, zuǒ mài fú ér chí, bù rán, bìng zhǔ ān zài? Qí bó yuē: dōng zhěn zhī, yòu mài gù dāng chén jǐn, cǐ yìng sì shí; zuǒ mài fú ér chí, cǐ nì sì shí.
The Emperor asks: here is one ill with inversion. On examination the right conduit is sunken and tight and the left is floating and slow. If that is not how it should be, where does the disease reside? Qi Bo says: examined in winter, the right conduit is naturally sunken and tight — this accords with the four seasons. The left conduit floating and slow runs counter to them.
「有病「厥」讀 jué者,診右脉沈而緊」——**本篇「厥」2見:此處為「有病厥者」,下文「病名曰陽厥」為其二**;「沈」讀 chén、**沈讀 chén**;「緊」讀 jǐn、**緊讀 jǐn**;**右脉沈緊而應冬時,左脉浮遟而逆四時,為本篇診厥之樞**。
素問·奇病論 Suwen 47 · 奇病論 Read in context →
太陰脉微細如髮者,此不足也。其病安在?名爲何病?歧伯曰:病在太陰,其盛在胃,頗在肺,病名曰厥,死不治。 太阴脉微细如发者,此不足也。其病安在?名为何病?歧伯曰:病在太阴,其盛在胃,颇在肺,病名曰厥,死不治。
Tài yīn mài wēi xì rú fà zhě, cǐ bù zú yě. Qí bìng ān zài? Míng wéi hé bìng? Qí bó yuē: bìng zài tài yīn, qí shèng zài wèi, pō zài fèi, bìng míng yuē jué, sǐ bù zhì.
The greater yin pulse faint and fine as a hair — this too is insufficiency. Where does the illness lie, and what is it named? Qi Bo answers: the illness is in greater yin; its excess is in the stomach, and somewhat in the lung. The illness is named inversion: it is death, and cannot be treated.
「病名曰「厥」讀 jué,死不治」——**本篇「厥」2見:此其一,上文「病名曰厥逆」之厥為其二,彼另有目**;**厥讀 jué;此厥合頸膺如格、人迎躁盛之有餘,與太陰微細、一日數十溲之不足而成,故曰死不治**;「頗」讀 pō、**下文「其盛在胃,頗在肺」之頗讀 pō,偏頗之義**。
素問·大奇論 Suwen 48 · 大奇論 Read in context →
脉至如喘,名曰暴厥。暴厥者,不知與人言。 脉至如喘,名曰暴厥。暴厥者,不知与人言。
Mài zhì rú chuǎn, míng yuē bào jué. Bào jué zhě, bù zhī yǔ rén yán.
A pulse arriving like panting is called sudden inversion. In sudden inversion a person does not know how to speak with others.
「名曰「暴」讀 bào厥。「暴」讀 bào厥者,不知與人言」——「厥」讀 jué、**本篇3見,皆在他名之内**(暴厥二、癇厥一);**「脉至如喘」之「喘」讀 chuǎn,此以喘狀脉,非喘證,與「喘而兩胠滿」之喘同字而異用**。
素問·脉解 Suwen 49 · 脉解 Read in context →
所謂入中爲瘖者,陽盛巳衰,故爲瘖也。内奪而厥,則爲瘖俳,此腎虚也,少陰不至者,厥也。 所谓入中为瘖者,阳盛巳衰,故为瘖也。内夺而厥,则为瘖俳,此肾虚也,少阴不至者,厥也。
Suǒ wèi rù zhōng wéi yīn zhě, yáng shèng yǐ shuāi, gù wéi yīn yě. Nèi duó ér jué, zé wéi yīn fèi, cǐ shèn xū yě, shào yīn bù zhì zhě, jué yě.
What is called loss of voice when yang enters the centre: yang has flourished and now declines, hence the loss of voice. When depletion within is carried as far as inversion, the result is loss of voice with palsy; this is depletion of the kidney. When the lesser yin fails to reach, that is inversion.
「内奪而「厥」讀 jué」——**本篇「厥」6見:「厥陰」二、「煎厥」一、單言厥者三**;「奪」讀 duó、**本篇3見**;**「瘖俳」之「俳」讀 fèi——「俳」讀 fèi,通痱,詳本篇校勘第六條**;**内奪而厥則爲瘖俳,此腎虚也;少陰不至者,厥也**。
素問·調經論 Suwen 62 · 調經論 Read in context →
血之與氣,并走於上,則爲大厥,厥則暴死。 血之与气,并走于上,则为大厥,厥则暴死。
Xuè zhī yǔ qì, bìng zǒu yú shàng, zé wéi dà jué, jué zé bào sǐ.
When blood and qi both run upward, there is the great counterflow; and in that counterflow a man dies suddenly.
「血之與氣,并走於上,則爲大厥,厥則暴死」——**「厥」本篇4見,皆合本目「逆亂而見於四末與神識」之義**:**「志有餘則腹脹飱泄,不足則厥」者,志不足之厥,四末之厥也**;**「血之與氣,并走於上,則爲大厥,厥則暴死」者,血氣并於上而神識為之亂,其重者也**;「氣復反則生,不反則死」**;**「厥氣上逆」一見在「厥氣」之内,已掛其目**;**「厥」讀 jué**
素問·陰陽應象大論 Suwen 5 · 陰陽應象大論 Read in context →
帝曰:法陰陽柰何?歧伯曰:陽勝則身熱,腠理閉,喘麤爲之俛仰。汗不出而熱,齒乾以煩冤,腹滿死。能冬不能夏。陰勝則身寒汗出,身常清,數慄而寒,寒則厥,厥則腹滿死。能夏不能冬。此陰陽更勝之變,病之形能也。 帝曰:法阴阳奈何?歧伯曰:阳胜则身热,腠理闭,喘粗为之俯仰。汗不出而热,齿干以烦冤,腹满死。能冬不能夏。阴胜则身寒汗出,身常清,数栗而寒,寒则厥,厥则腹满死。能夏不能冬。此阴阳更胜之变,病之形能也。
dì yuē: fǎ yīn yáng nài hé? qí bó yuē: yáng shèng zé shēn rè, còu lǐ bì, chuǎn cū wèi zhī fǔ yǎng. hàn bù chū ér rè, chǐ gān yǐ fán yuān, fù mǎn sǐ. nài dōng bù nài xià. yīn shèng zé shēn hán hàn chū, shēn cháng qīng, shuò lì ér hán, hán zé jué, jué zé fù mǎn sǐ. nài xià bù nài dōng. cǐ yīn yáng gèng shèng zhī biàn, bìng zhī xíng néng yě.
The Emperor asks: how does one take yin and yang as a model? Qi Bo says: when yang prevails the body is hot, the interstices close, and the breathing is coarse so that one bends and stretches. When sweat does not issue and the heat persists, the teeth are dry and there is vexatious oppression; with abdominal fullness, death. Such a person can endure winter but not summer. When yin prevails the body is cold and sweats, the body is constantly chilly, one shivers repeatedly and feels cold; with cold there is inversion, and with inversion and abdominal fullness, death. Such a person can endure summer but not winter. This is the change wrought by yin and yang prevailing in turn — the form and capacity of disease.
「寒則厥,厥則腹滿死」——陰勝則身寒汗出,寒甚則四末厥逆,厥則中氣不行而腹滿,故死;**「厥」本篇3見**
素問·脉要精微論 Suwen 17 · 脉要精微論 Read in context →
帝曰:病成而變,何謂?歧伯曰:風成爲寒熱,癉成爲消中,厥成爲巔疾,久風爲飱泄,脉風成爲癘。病之變化,不可勝數。 帝曰:病成而变,何谓?岐伯曰:风成为寒热,瘅成为消中,厥成为巅疾,久风为飧泄,脉风成为疠。病之变化,不可胜数。
dì yuē: bìng chéng ér biàn, hé wèi? qí bó yuē: fēng chéng wéi hán rè, dān chéng wéi xiāo zhōng, jué chéng wéi diān jí, jiǔ fēng wéi sūn xiè, mài fēng chéng wéi lì. bìng zhī biàn huà, bù kě shèng shǔ.
The Emperor says: What does it mean that an illness, once formed, changes? Qibo says: Wind, once formed, becomes cold and heat; heat, once formed, becomes wasting in the centre; counterflow, once formed, becomes disease of the crown; long-standing wind becomes food-diarrhoea; wind in the vessels becomes pestilent sores. The transformations of illness cannot be counted.
「厥成爲巔疾」,厥成而變為巔疾;本篇又見「爲厥巔疾」「少陰厥也」,厥皆謂氣之逆。
素問·玉機真藏論 Suwen 19 · 玉機真藏論 Read in context →
弗治,肺即傳而行之肝,病名曰肝痺,一名曰厥,脅痛出食,當是之時,可按若刺耳。 弗治,肺即传而行之肝,病名曰肝痹,一名曰厥,胁痛出食,当是之时,可按若刺耳。
Fú zhì, fèi jí chuán ér xíng zhī gān, bìng míng yuē gān bì, yī míng yuē jué, xié tòng chū shí, dāng shì zhī shí, kě àn ruò cì ěr.
Left untreated, the lung transmits the disease on to the liver; it is called liver impediment, also named reversal. There is pain in the flanks and the bringing up of food; at that point one may press, or needle.
「一名曰厥」,肝痺一名為厥、脅痛出食;本篇上文又見「厥成為巔疾」,厥皆謂氣之逆而不順。
Suwen 70 Suwen 70 · 五常政大論 Read in context →
靜順之紀,藏而勿害,治而善下,五化咸整。其氣明,其性下,其用沃衍,其化凝堅,其類水,其政流演,其候凝肅,其令寒,其藏腎,腎其畏濕,其主二陰,其榖豆,其果栗,其實濡,其應冬,其蟲鱗,其畜彘,其色黑,其養骨髓,其病厥,其味鹹,其音羽,其物濡,其數六。 静顺之纪,藏而勿害,治而善下,五化咸整。其气明,其性下,其用沃衍,其化凝坚,其类水,其政流演,其候凝肃,其令寒,其藏肾,肾其畏湿,其主二阴,其谷豆,其果栗,其实濡,其应冬,其虫鳞,其畜彘,其色黑,其养骨髓,其病厥,其味咸,其音羽,其物濡,其数六。
Jìng shùn zhī jì, cáng ér wù hài, zhì ér shàn xià, wǔ huà xián zhěng. Qí qì míng, qí xìng xià, qí yòng wò yǎn, qí huà níng jiān, qí lèi shuǐ, qí zhèng liú yǎn, qí hòu níng sù, qí lìng hán, qí zàng shèn, shèn qí wèi shī, qí zhǔ èr yīn, qí gǔ dòu, qí guǒ lì, qí shí rú, qí yìng dōng, qí chóng lín, qí chù zhì, qí sè hēi, qí yǎng gǔ suǐ, qí bìng jué, qí wèi xián, qí yīn yǔ, qí wù rú, qí shù liù.
In the era of Still Compliance it stores and harms nothing, governs and is good at keeping low, and the five transformations are all ordered. Its qi bright, its nature low, its use watering and spreading, its transformation congealing and hard, its class water, its governance flowing and spreading, its climate congealed and stern, its command cold, its viscus the kidney; the kidney fears dampness; it governs the two lower orifices; its grain beans, its fruit the chestnut, its kernel moist, its answering winter, its creature the scaly, its domestic animal the pig, its colour black, its nourishment bone and marrow, its illness counterflow, its flavour salty, its note yu, its thing moist, its number six.
**「厥」本篇10見,多在「厥逆」「痿厥」「瞀厥」之內**;**此段「其病厥」為靜順之紀之病,獨立成詞**
Suwen 74 Suwen 74 · 至真要大論 Read in context →
諸厥固泄,皆屬於下; 诸厥固泄,皆属于下;
Zhū jué gù xiè, jiē shǔ yú xià;
all reversal with blockage or flux belongs below;
**「厥」本篇28見,多在厥陰之内,獨立者亦數見**;**此段「諸厥固泄,皆屬於下」,病機十九條之一;厥獨立成義**

Compounds built on this term

厥逆
jué nì
counterflow inversion
本篇十見,已見本站 id 925
寒厥
hán jué
cold inversion
本篇答語之首所分
熱厥
rè jué
heat inversion
本篇答語之首所分
煎厥
jiān jué
scorching inversion
已見本站 id 220

How it has been translated

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

This siteinversion厥 is inversion throughout this site, so that 厥逆 can read as counterflow inversion
Unschuldinversionhe keeps one rendering for the family of 厥 compounds
Wisemanreversal厥 is reversal in his system, with 寒厥 cold reversal and 熱厥 heat reversal

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-09-30

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