胠

qū

Qu

Also rendered: Qu (this site; kept in pinyin with the flank as its gloss, because there is no one English word for the region) · The flank (where the region is named in English and the graph left behind)

Reviewed · 2026-10-01

At a glance

Pinyin
qū
Simplified
胠
Literal
胠 qū — the flank, the place under the arm and above the ribs. It is where chapter 48 puts the fullness of the lung's 雍 and of the liver's 雍 alike, and the word is the reason the two look alike on the page: 肺之雍,喘而兩胠滿 and 肝雍,兩胠滿. Both swell the same place, and only what comes with it — panting in one, fright on lying down in the other — tells them apart.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:胠,亦下也,从肉去聲。「胠」讀 qū、**本篇二見,皆在「兩胠滿」**;「滿」讀 mǎn、**本篇八見**。

In brief

The flank — below the arm, above the ribs. Chapter 48 swells it in both the lung’s and the liver’s 雍, which is why the two entries read so nearly alike; what separates them is the company, panting in the lung and fright on lying down in the liver.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
The graph 胠
从肉去聲,腋下脅上之處
兩胠滿 — Suwen 48
2
Where it is 亦下
腋之下、脅之上
兩胠滿 — Suwen 48
3
In the lung 肺之雍
肺雍則喘而兩胠滿
肺之雍,喘而兩胠滿 — Suwen 48
4
In the liver 肝雍
肝雍亦兩胠滿,而卧則驚
肝雍,兩胠滿,卧則驚 — Suwen 48
5
Both sides at once 兩胠
左右俱滿,非偏於一
兩胠滿 — Suwen 48
6
Why it matters 二藏同處
同滿一處,所兼之證別之
肺之雍,喘而兩胠滿。肝雍,兩胠滿,卧則驚 — Suwen 48

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
6 passages
Suwen 48 Suwen 48 · 大奇論 Read in context →
肺之雍,喘而兩胠滿。肝雍,兩胠滿,卧則驚,不得小便。腎雍,脚下至少腹滿。 肺之雍,喘而两胠满。肝雍,两胠满,卧则惊,不得小便。肾雍,脚下至少腹满。
Fèi zhī yōng, chuǎn ér liǎng qū mǎn. Gān yōng, liǎng qū mǎn, wò zé jīng, bù dé xiǎo biàn. Shèn yōng, jiǎo xià zhì shào fù mǎn.
Congestion of the lung gives panting and fullness in both flanks. Congestion of the liver fills both flanks, startles the person on lying down, and stops the urine. Congestion of the kidney fills everything from the foot up to the lower abdomen.
**「兩胠滿」二見——**「胠」讀 qū、**本篇二見,皆此**;「雍」讀 yōng、**本篇五見**;「滿」讀 mǎn、**本篇八見**;**肺雍與肝雍同滿兩胠,所別者喘與卧驚**。
素問·氣府論 Suwen 59 · 氣府論 Read in context →
足少陽脉氣所發者六十二穴:兩角上各二,直目上髮際内各五,耳前角上各一,耳前角下各一,鋭髮下各一,客主人各一,耳後陷中各一,下關各一,耳下牙車之後各一,缺盆各一,掖下三寸、脅下至胠八閒各一,髀樞中傍各一。 足少阳脉气所发者六十二穴:两角上各二,直目上发际内各五,耳前角上各一,耳前角下各一,锐发下各一,客主人各一,耳后陷中各一,下关各一,耳下牙车之后各一,缺盆各一,掖下三寸、胁下至胠八间各一,髀枢中傍各一。
Zú shào yáng mài qì suǒ fā zhě liù shí èr xué: liǎng jiǎo shàng gè èr, zhí mù shàng fà jì nèi gè wǔ, ěr qián jiǎo shàng gè yī, ěr qián jiǎo xià gè yī, ruì fà xià gè yī, kè zhǔ rén gè yī, ěr hòu xiàn zhōng gè yī, xià guān gè yī, ěr xià yá chē zhī hòu gè yī, quē pén gè yī, yè xià sān cùn, xié xià zhì qū bā jiān gè yī, bì shū zhōng bàng gè yī.
What the qi of the foot lesser yang vessel sends forth is sixty-two points: two each on the two corners of the head; five each inside the hairline straight above the eye; one each above the corner in front of the ear; one each below it; one each beneath the sharp hair; one each at guest and host; one each in the hollow behind the ear; one each at the lower gate; one each behind the jaw carriage below the ear; one each in the empty basin; one each three inches below the armpit, and one each in the eight spaces from the flank down to the armpit sweep; one each beside the centre of the hip pivot.
「掖下三寸、「脅」讀 xié「下」讀 xià「至」讀 zhì「胠」讀 qū「八」讀 bā「閒」讀 jiān各一」——**本目第四十八篇所立,取脅下之位;此處則自掖下三寸至胠,凡八肋之間各有一穴**;**底本此處作「閒」,本篇「閒」1見、「間」3見,同篇二形並存,皆讀 jiān**;「掖」讀 yè、**「掖下三寸」之掖讀 yè,本篇2見**;「胠」讀 qū、**「胠」讀 qū,本篇1見**
素問·繆刺論 Suwen 63 · 繆刺論 Read in context →
邪客於手陽明之絡,令人氣滿胸中,喘息而支胠,胸中熱,刺手大指次指爪甲上,去端如韭葉,各一痏。 邪客于手阳明之络,令人气满胸中,喘息而支胠,胸中热,刺手大指次指爪甲上,去端如韭叶,各一痏。
Xié kè yú shǒu yáng míng zhī luò, lìng rén qì mǎn xiōng zhōng, chuǎn xī ér zhī qū, xiōng zhōng rè, cì shǒu dà zhǐ cì zhǐ zhǎo jiǎ shàng, qù duān rú jiǔ yè, gè yī wěi.
When evil lodges in the network of the hand yang brightness it causes qi that fills the chest, panting that props the flank, and heat in the chest. Puncture above the nails of the great and second fingers of the hand, a leek-leaf’s breadth from the tip, one puncture each.
「令人氣滿胸中,喘息而支胠,胸中熱」——**「胠」本篇1見,在手陽明之絡一證中**:**支胠者,脅下支撐而滿;氣滿胸中則喘息而旁引於胠**;**胠為腋下脅上之處,與第四十八篇肺肝之雍同部**;**「胠」讀 qū**
素問·氣交變大論 Suwen 69 · 氣交變大論 Read in context →
帝曰:善。願聞其時也。歧伯曰:悉哉問也。木不及,春有鳴條律暢之化,則秋有霧露清涼之政。春有慘淒殘賊之勝,則夏有炎暑燔爍之復。其眚東,其藏肝,其病内舍胠脅,外在關節。 帝曰:善。愿闻其时也。歧伯曰:悉哉问也。木不及,春有鸣条律畅之化,则秋有雾露清凉之政。春有惨凄残贼之胜,则夏有炎暑燔烁之复。其眚东,其藏肝,其病内舍胠胁,外在关节。
Dì yuē: shàn. Yuàn wén qí shí yě. Qí bó yuē: xī zāi wèn yě. Mù bù jí, chūn yǒu míng tiáo lǜ chàng zhī huà, zé qiū yǒu wù lù qīng liáng zhī zhèng. Chūn yǒu cǎn qī cán zéi zhī shèng, zé xià yǒu yán shǔ fán shuò zhī fù. Qí shěng dōng, qí zàng gān, qí bìng nèi shè qū xié, wài zài guān jié.
Huang Di said: good. I wish to hear about its seasons. Qi Bo said: how thorough the question is. When wood falls short, if spring has the transformation of sounding branches and tuned pipes, then autumn has the governance of mist and dew, clear and cool; if spring has the prevalence of the bleak and the ravaging, then summer has the revenge of blazing heat that scorches. Its calamity is in the east, its viscus is the liver, and its illness lodges within in the flank below the armpit and shows without in the joints.
「其眚東,其藏肝,其病内舍胠脅,外在關節」——**「胠」本篇3見:胠脅不可反側、胠脅痛、内舍胠脅**;**胠者,腋下脅上之處;本篇三見皆「胠脅」連文**;**本篇五方之病皆分内外,此為東方肝之部**;**「胠」讀 qū**
素問·玉機真藏論 Suwen 19 · 玉機真藏論 Read in context →
帝曰:春脉太過與不及,其病皆何如?歧伯曰:太過則令人善忘,忽忽眩冒而巔疾;其不及,則令人胸痛引背,下則兩脅胠滿。帝曰:善。 帝曰:春脉太过与不及,其病皆何如?歧伯曰:太过则令人善忘,忽忽眩冒而巅疾;其不及,则令人胸痛引背,下则两胁胠满。帝曰:善。
Dì yuē: chūn mài tài guò yǔ bù jí, qí bìng jiē hé rú? Qí bó yuē: tài guò zé lìng rén shàn wàng, hū hū xuàn mào ér diān jí; qí bù jí, zé lìng rén xiōng tòng yǐn bèi, xià zé liǎng xié qū mǎn. Dì yuē: shàn.
With excess one becomes forgetful, muddled and dizzy, with disease of the crown of the head. With deficiency the chest aches and pulls through to the back, and lower down the two flanks are full.
「兩脅胠滿」,春脉不及則令人胸痛引背、下則兩脅胠滿。胠為腋下至脅之部,與脅連文而分內外。
Suwen 74 Suwen 74 · 至真要大論 Read in context →
陽明司天,燥淫所勝,則木乃晚榮,草乃晚生。筋骨内變,民病左胠脅痛,寒清于中,感而瘧,大涼革𠉀,欬腹中鳴,注泄鶩溏,名木斂,生菀于下,草焦上首,心脅暴痛,不可反側,嗌乾面塵,腰痛,丈夫㿗疝,婦人少腹痛,目昧眦,瘍瘡痤癰,蟄蟲來見,病本于肝。太衝絶,死不治。 阳明司天,燥淫所胜,则木乃晚荣,草乃晚生。筋骨内变,民病左胠胁痛,寒清于中,感而疟,大凉革候,咳腹中鸣,注泄鹜溏,名木敛,生菀于下,草焦上首,心胁暴痛,不可反侧,嗌干面尘,腰痛,丈夫颓疝,妇人少腹痛,目昧眦,疡疮痤痈,蛰虫来见,病本于肝。太冲绝,死不治。
Yáng míng sī tiān, zào yín suǒ shèng, zé mù nǎi wǎn róng, cǎo nǎi wǎn shēng. Jīn gǔ nèi biàn, mín bìng zuǒ qū xié tòng, hán qīng yú zhōng, gǎn ér nüè, dà liáng gé hòu, kài fù zhōng míng, zhù xiè wù táng, míng mù liǎn, shēng yùn yú xià, cǎo jiāo shàng shǒu, xīn xié bào tòng, bù kě fǎn cè, yì gān miàn chén, yāo tòng, zhàng fū tuí shàn, fù rén shào fù tòng, mù mèi zì, yáng chuāng cuó yōng, zhé chóng lái xiàn, bìng běn yú gān. Tài chōng jué, sǐ bù zhì.
When yang brightness governs the heaven, and dryness is in excess and prevails, the trees flourish late and the grasses sprout late. The sinews and bones change within; the people sicken with pain of the left flank and ribs, cold and coolness held within, and a malaria brought on by what they take in, while a great coolness alters the season. There is cough with rumbling in the belly, a pouring diarrhoea like duck droppings, the great trees draw in, growth is pent below, and the tops of the grasses are scorched. The heart and the ribs pain suddenly so that they cannot turn on their side, the throat is dry and the face dusty, the loins ache, the man is ruptured, the woman has pain of the lower belly, the corners of the eyes are dim, and there are sores, boils, acne and abscesses, while the hibernating creatures come out to be seen. The illness is rooted in the liver; the taichong pulse is extinguished — death, not to be treated.
**「胠」本篇7見,多作「胠脅」或「胠滿」**;**此段「民病左胠脅痛,寒清于中,感而瘧」,陽明司天之病**

Compounds built on this term

胠
qū
qu, the flank
本篇二見
兩胠滿
liǎng qū mǎn
fullness in both flanks
肺雍、肝雍共見
脅下滿
xié xià mǎn
fullness below the ribs
與胠滿相近而稍下
脚下至少腹滿
jiǎo xià zhì shào fù mǎn
fullness from the foot up to the lower abdomen
腎雍之滿,與胠滿相對

How it has been translated

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

This sitequkept in pinyin, glossed as the flank, so the reader knows it is a place and not a symptom
Unschuldflankshe names the region in English and drops the graph
Wisemanflankhis system uses the same regional term

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-10-01

Search the glossary

Reading path

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

See all reading paths