髓

suǐ

Marrow

Also rendered: Marrow (this site; the substance inside the bone, with no attempt to map it onto modern haematology) · Bone marrow; spinal cord (the modern anatomical terms; 髓 in the Suwen covers both of these and more)

Reviewed · 2026-10-01

At a glance

Pinyin
suǐ
Simplified
髓
Literal
髓 suǐ — the fat inside the bone, written with the bone radical. 《說文》says it in four words: 骨中脂也. Chapter 50 gives it the last place in its ladder of seven depths, and it is the only depth whose injury is not answered with a season. Wound the skin and the lung stirs and autumn brings warm malaria; wound the flesh, the vessel, the sinew, the bone, and each has its own viscus and its own season. Wound the marrow and there is no season at all: the body melts away, the shanks are sore, and it does not go away.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:髓,骨中脂也,从骨。「髓」讀 suǐ、**本篇3見**;「骨」讀 gǔ、**本篇4見**;「銷」讀 xiāo、「鑠」讀 shuò、**「銷鑠」本篇惟此一見**;「胻」讀 héng、**本篇惟此一見,讀 héng,从肉,詳本篇校勘第三條**;「㑊」讀 yì、**「解㑊」之㑊,讀 yì,本篇惟此一見**;**「腦為髓之海」見《靈樞·海論》,本篇不及之**。

In brief

The marrow — the substance inside the bone, and the deepest of the seven depths chapter 50 sets out. Every other depth in the chapter, once wounded, stirs a viscus and bears the illness of a season. The marrow is the exception: wounding it brings wasting and a weariness that does not leave, and the chapter gives it no season to belong to.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
The graph 髓
从骨,骨中脂也
有在髓者 — Suwen 50
2
The last depth 有在髓者
七者之中最深一層,其下無復可至
有在髓者 — Suwen 50
3
The rule for it 刺骨無傷髓
刺骨者止於骨,髓不可及
刺骨無傷髓 — Suwen 50
4
What follows 銷鑠胻酸
髓傷則身體銷鑠,胻為之酸
髓傷則銷鑠胻酸 — Suwen 50
5
What does not follow 無定期之病
五藏各有其時之病,髓傷則無
體解㑊然不去矣 — Suwen 50
6
How it ends 不去
諸傷皆言其時,惟髓傷言不去
體解㑊然不去矣 — Suwen 50

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
9 passages
Suwen 50 Suwen 50 · 刺要論 Read in context →
刺骨無傷髓,髓傷則銷鑠胻酸。體解㑊然不去矣。 刺骨无伤髓,髓伤则销铄胻酸。体解㑊然不去矣。
Cì gǔ wú shāng suǐ, suǐ shāng zé xiāo shuò héng suān.Tǐ xiè yì rán bù qù yǐ.
When needling the bone do not wound the marrow. If the marrow is wounded the body melts away and the shanks are sore. The body is lax and weary, and it does not go away.
**「髓」本篇3見——「髓」讀 suǐ、**七者之中最深一層**;「骨」讀 gǔ、**本篇4見**;「銷」讀 xiāo、「鑠」讀 shuò、**「銷鑠」惟此一見**;「胻」讀 héng、**讀 héng,从肉,惟此一見**;「解」讀 xiè、「㑊」讀 yì、**「解㑊」讀 xiè yì,各本篇惟此一見,詳本篇校勘第四條**;**五藏之傷各有其時,惟髓傷不言其時而言「不去」**。
素問·刺禁論 Suwen 52 · 刺禁論 Read in context →
刺脊間中髓,爲傴; 刺脊间中髓,为伛;
Cì jǐ jiān zhòng suǐ, wéi yǔ;
To needle between the vertebrae and strike the marrow: hunchback;
「刺脊間中「髓」讀 suǐ,爲傴」——**本篇「髓」1見,讀 suǐ**;「傴」讀 yǔ、**本篇1見,讀 yǔ,曲背也**;「脊」讀 jǐ、**本篇1見,讀 jǐ**;**脊間者椎骨之間;中髓則為傴,與第五十篇「刺骨無傷髓」同戒,惟此言其既傷之驗**。
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」讀 suǐ酸痛,寒氣至,名曰骨痺」——**本篇「髓」2見,讀 suǐ**;**二見皆在「骨髓」之中:一為骨痺之證(骨髓酸痛),一為大風刺之之深**;**本目以髓為七深之最,本篇「刺骨髓,汗出百日」正是刺至其最深**;**與 id 798「骨髓」互見**
素問·骨空論 Suwen 60 · 骨空論 Read in context →
髓空在腦後三分,在顱際鋭骨之下,一在齗基下,一在項後中復骨下,一在脊骨上空在風府上。 髓空在脑后三分,在颅际锐骨之下,一在龈基下,一在项后中复骨下,一在脊骨上空在风府上。
Suǐ kōng zài nǎo hòu sān fēn, zài lú jì ruì gǔ zhī xià, yī zài yín jī xià, yī zài xiàng hòu zhōng fù gǔ xià, yī zài jǐ gǔ shàng kōng zài fēng fǔ shàng.
The marrow openings are in three places behind the brain: below the sharp bone at the border of the skull; below the base of the gums; and below the doubled bone in the centre behind the nape. There is one more in the opening above the spinal bone, above Wind Palace.
「「髓」讀 suǐ「空」讀 kōng在腦後三分」——**「髓」讀 suǐ,本篇4見(髓空、髓孔、易髓無空)**;**骨為髓之府,故骨空亦可稱髓空;腦為髓之海,故特以腦後之空為髓空**;**「空」本篇14見,讀 kōng 如字**
素問·水熱穴論 Suwen 61 · 水熱穴論 Read in context →
歧伯曰:頭上五行,行五者,以越諸陽之熱逆也;大杼、膺俞、缺盆、背俞,此八者,以冩胸中之熱也;氣街、三里、巨虚、上下廉,此八者,以冩胃中之熱也;雲門、髃骨、委中、髓空,此八者,以冩四支之熱也;五藏俞傍五,此十者,以冩五藏之熱也;凡此五十九穴者,皆熱之左右也。 歧伯曰:头上五行,行五者,以越诸阳之热逆也;大杼、膺俞、缺盆、背俞,此八者,以写胸中之热也;气街、三里、巨虚、上下廉,此八者,以写胃中之热也;云门、髃骨、委中、髓空,此八者,以写四支之热也;五藏俞傍五,此十者,以写五藏之热也;凡此五十九穴者,皆热之左右也。
Qí bó yuē: tóu shàng wǔ háng, háng wǔ zhě, yǐ yuè zhū yáng zhī rè nì yě; dà zhù, yīng shù, quē pén, bèi shù, cǐ bā zhě, yǐ xiè xiōng zhōng zhī rè yě; qì jiē, sān lǐ, jù xū, shàng xià lián, cǐ bā zhě, yǐ xiè wèi zhōng zhī rè yě; yún mén, yú gǔ, wěi zhōng, suǐ kōng, cǐ bā zhě, yǐ xiè sì zhī zhī rè yě; wǔ zàng shù bàng wǔ, cǐ shí zhě, yǐ xiè wǔ zàng zhī rè yě; fán cǐ wǔ shí jiǔ xué zhě, jiē rè zhī zuǒ yòu yě.
Qi Bo says: five rows on the head, five points to a row, serve to let out the hot counterflow of all the yang. Great Shuttle, the transport points at the chest, Empty Basin and the back transport points – these eight – drain the heat in the chest. Qi Street, Three Li, the great hollows and the upper and lower border – these eight – drain the heat in the stomach. Cloud Gate, the shoulder bone, the bend in the middle and the marrow opening – these eight – drain the heat of the four limbs. Five beside the transport points of the five depots – these ten – drain the heat of the five depots. All fifty-nine of these points are what stands to either side of the heat.
「雲門、髃骨、委中、「髓」讀 suǐ空」——**「髓」本篇1見,讀 suǐ**;**「髓空」與第六十篇「髓空在腦後三分」同名,腦為髓之海,故以為穴名**;**此處列於寫四支之熱八穴之內**
素問·五運行大論 Suwen 67 · 五運行大論 Read in context →
北方生寒,寒生水,水生鹹,鹹生腎,腎生骨髓,髓生肝。其在天爲寒,在地爲水,在體爲骨,在氣爲堅,在藏爲腎。其性爲凜,其德爲寒,其用爲,其色爲黑,其化爲肅,其蟲鱗,其政爲靜,其令,其變凝冽,其眚冰雹,其味爲鹹,其志爲恐。恐傷腎,思勝恐,寒傷血,燥勝寒,鹹傷血,甘勝鹹。五氣更立,各有所先,非其位則邪,當其位則正。 北方生寒,寒生水,水生咸,咸生肾,肾生骨髓,髓生肝。其在天为寒,在地为水,在体为骨,在气为坚,在藏为肾。其性为凛,其德为寒,其用为,其色为黑,其化为肃,其虫鳞,其政为静,其令,其变凝冽,其眚冰雹,其味为咸,其志为恐。恐伤肾,思胜恐,寒伤血,燥胜寒,咸伤血,甘胜咸。五气更立,各有所先,非其位则邪,当其位则正。
Běi fāng shēng hán, hán shēng shuǐ, shuǐ shēng xián, xián shēng shèn, shèn shēng gǔ suǐ, suǐ shēng gān. Qí zài tiān wéi hán, zài dì wéi shuǐ, zài tǐ wéi gǔ, zài qì wéi jiān, zài zàng wéi shèn. Qí xìng wéi lǐn, qí dé wéi hán, qí yòng wéi, qí sè wéi hēi, qí huà wéi sù, qí chóng lín, qí zhèng wéi jìng, qí lìng, qí biàn níng liè, qí shěng bīng báo, qí wèi wéi xián, qí zhì wéi kǒng. Kǒng shāng shèn, sī shèng kǒng, hán shāng xuè, zào shèng hán, xián shāng xuè, gān shèng xián. Wǔ qì gēng lì, gè yǒu suǒ xiān, fēi qí wèi zé xié, dāng qí wèi zé zhèng.
The north generates cold, cold generates water, water generates saltiness, saltiness generates the kidney, the kidney generates bone and marrow, and marrow generates the liver. In heaven it is cold, in earth water, in the body bone, in qi hardness, and among the viscera the kidney. Its nature is severe cold, its virtue cold, its action (the text is wanting here), its colour black, its transformation austerity, its creature the scaled, its governance stillness, its command (the text is wanting here), its change freezing and biting, its calamity hail, its flavour saltiness, and its emotion fear. Fear harms the kidney and thought overcomes fear; cold harms the blood and dryness overcomes cold; saltiness harms the blood and sweet overcomes saltiness. The five qi stand in turn and each takes its precedence; out of its place it is evil, in its proper place it is correct.
「髓生肝」——**「髓」本篇2見:腎生骨髓、髓生肝**;**北方之序以髓承腎而生肝,是五藏相生之環**;**「骨髓」二字連言者別見本站「骨髓」(#798)一目,本篇一見**;**「骨」讀 gǔ,本篇2見:在體爲骨、腎生骨髓**
素問·脉要精微論 Suwen 17 · 脉要精微論 Read in context →
夫五藏者,身之强也。頭者,精明之府,頭傾視深,精神將奪矣;背者,胸中之府,背曲肩隨,府將壞矣;腰者,腎之府,轉摇不能,腎將憊矣;膝者,筋之府,屈伸不能,行則僂附,筋將憊矣;骨者,髓之府,不能久立,行則振掉,骨將憊矣。得强則生,失强則死。 夫五脏者,身之强也。头者,精明之府,头倾视深,精神将夺矣;背者,胸中之府,背曲肩随,府将坏矣;腰者,肾之府,转摇不能,肾将惫矣;膝者,筋之府,屈伸不能,行则偻附,筋将惫矣;骨者,髓之府,不能久立,行则振掉,骨将惫矣。得强则生,失强则死。
fú wǔ zàng zhě, shēn zhī qiáng yě. tóu zhě, jīng míng zhī fǔ, tóu qīng shì shēn, jīng shén jiāng duó yǐ; bèi zhě, xiōng zhōng zhī fǔ, bèi qū jiān suí, fǔ jiāng huài yǐ; yāo zhě, shèn zhī fǔ, zhuǎn yáo bù néng, shèn jiāng bèi yǐ; xī zhě, jīn zhī fǔ, qū shēn bù néng, xíng zé lǚ fù, jīn jiāng bèi yǐ; gǔ zhě, suǐ zhī fǔ, bù néng jiǔ lì, xíng zé zhèn diào, gǔ jiāng bèi yǐ. dé qiáng zé shēng, shī qiáng zé sǐ.
The five depots are the strength of the body. The head is the storehouse of brightness: if the head droops and the gaze is sunken, the spirit is about to be taken. The back is the storehouse of the chest: if the back is bent and the shoulders sag, the storehouse is about to be ruined. The loins are the storehouse of the kidney: if they cannot turn, the kidney is about to be exhausted. The knees are the storehouse of the sinews: if they cannot bend and stretch and one must walk stooped and leaning, the sinews are about to be exhausted. The bones are the storehouse of marrow: if one cannot stand long and trembles when walking, the bones are about to be exhausted. What keeps its strength, lives; what loses it, dies.
「骨者,髓之府」,骨為髓之府,不能久立、行則振掉者骨將憊。本篇五府之論以髓配骨。
素問·玉機真藏論 Suwen 19 · 玉機真藏論 Read in context →
大骨枯槁,大肉陷下,肩髓内消,動作益衰,真藏來見,期一歲死。見其真藏,乃予之期日。 大骨枯槁,大肉陷下,肩髓内消,动作益衰,真藏来见,期一岁死。见其真藏,乃予之期日。
Dà gǔ kū gǎo, dà ròu xiàn xià, jiān suǐ nèi xiāo, dòng zuò yì shuāi, zhēn zàng lái xiàn, qī yī suì sǐ. Jiàn qí zhēn zàng, nǎi yǔ zhī qī rì.
With the same wasting, the marrow at the shoulder melting inward and movement failing further, when the true visceral pulse comes into view death is expected within a year; seeing the true pulse, a date can be given.
「肩髓内消」,大骨枯槁、肩髓内消而動作益衰,期一歲死。髓者骨之充,藏氣竭則髓先消。
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.
**「髓」本篇1見,止在靜順之紀「其養骨髓」**;**此段二十三事以「其氣、其性、其用、其化」為式,其養骨髓與其藏腎相應,腎主骨而生髓**

Compounds built on this term

髓
suǐ
marrow
本篇三見
刺骨無傷髓
cì gǔ wú shāng suǐ
needle the bone without wounding the marrow
本篇惟此一見
銷鑠
xiāo shuò
melting away
本篇惟此一見
骨髓
gǔ suǐ
bone and marrow
本站 id 798 立目,本篇不作此二字連用

How it has been translated

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

This sitemarrowthe plain English for the substance, kept short because the chapter is interested in the depth rather than the tissue
Later medicine髓 suǐ, with 腦為髓之海from the Lingshu onward the marrow is gathered under the brain as its sea, and depletion of it is a disease of the kidney
Modern editions骨髓 bone marrow; 脊髓 spinal cordthey split the word by anatomy, which the classical text does not

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2026-10-01

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