中滿 简体 中满

zhōng mǎn

Fullness in the centre · zhong man

Also rendered: Fullness in the centre (this site; literal from the two graphs, and it keeps 中 as a place rather than turning it into a stage of disease) · Abdominal distension (the modern clinical phrasing; right about where, and it loses the chapter's point, which is that this one symptom reverses the order of treatment)

Reviewed · 2026-10-05

At a glance

Pinyin
zhōng mǎn
Simplified
中满
Literal
中 zhōng — the centre, what is inside; 滿 mǎn — full, filled to the brim. Fullness in the centre is the belly that will not pass anything, and it is the exception this chapter is built around. The chapter spends a long sentence pairing cases — 先病而後逆者治其本,先逆而後病者治其本,先寒而後生病者治其本 — and every single one of them ends 治其本, treat the root. Then come the two that do not: 先熱而後生中滿者治其標 and 先病而後先中滿者治其標, both of them fullness in the centre, and both of them 治其標, treat the branch. The reason the chapter gives is implicit and the commentators make it explicit: a centre that will pass nothing can receive nothing either, so the passage has to be cleared before anything else can be treated. The third occurrence shows the same rule from the other side — 先中滿而後煩心者治其本 — because there the fullness came first and is therefore the root.
Shuowen
**「中」讀 zhōng,本篇4見而一讀:中滿3見、夏日中一見,皆 zhōng**;**「滿」讀 mǎn,本篇6見**;**「中滿」本篇3見:「先熱而後生中滿者治其標」「先病而後先中滿者治其標」「先中滿而後煩心者治其本」**;**《說文》:中,内也,从口丨,上下通;滿,盈溢也,从水㒼聲**;**「標」讀 biāo,本篇18見;「本」讀 běn,本篇25見**;**「治其本」本篇12見,「治其標」5見**;**與「中滿」先後相因者為「煩心」,本篇1見,讀 fán xīn**;**二說並存:一說中滿為中焦痞滿、上下不通,故雖屬後病而先治其標;一說中滿為土敗之候,胃氣已竭,故從權治標。此从底本之文,二說並錄**

In brief

Fullness in the centre — 中 zhōng, the centre; 滿 mǎn, full — and this chapter is the reason the phrase matters. Its long list of paired cases all end the same way, 治其本, treat the root, until it reaches fullness in the centre: 先熱而後生中滿者治其標, 先病而後先中滿者治其標. Twice out of the chapter’s five 治其標, and the only two that are the same disease. The rule that emerges is the chapter’s practical legacy — when the centre is blocked, nothing you give will be taken, so the blockage is the branch and it is treated first. The third occurrence proves the rule rather than breaking it: 先中滿而後煩心者治其本, because there the fullness arrived first and is therefore the root of the vexation that followed. 《說文》 has 中,内也 and 滿,盈溢也, which together are close to a definition: the inside has filled to overflowing and has nowhere to go.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
The graphs 中滿
中者,内也;滿者,盈溢也
先熱而後生中滿者治其標 — Suwen 65
2
The exception in the chapter's list 治其標
本篇歷舉先後之病皆曰治其本,獨中滿二見曰治其標
先病而後先中滿者治其標 — Suwen 65
3
Why it is treated first 中滿則藥食不納
中滿者上下不通,雖為後病,先治其標,通而後可治他病
先熱而後生中滿者治其標 — Suwen 65
4
The same rule read from the other side 治其本
中滿先而煩心後,則中滿為本,故治其本
先中滿而後煩心者治其本 — Suwen 65
5
How it stands beside the other branch-case 治其標
本篇治標者五見,中滿居其二,餘為小大不利
小大不利治其標,小大利治其本。 — Suwen 65
6
The order the chapter lays down 必且調之,乃治其他病
先調其一,而後乃治其他病
必且調之,乃治其他病。 — Suwen 65

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
4 passages
Suwen 65 Suwen 65 · 標本病傳論 Read in context →
必且調之,乃治其他病。先病而後先中滿者治其標,先中滿而後煩心者治其本。 必且调之,乃治其他病。先病而后先中满者治其标,先中满而后烦心者治其本。
Bì qiě tiáo zhī, nǎi zhì qí tā bìng. Xiān bìng ér hòu xiān zhōng mǎn zhě zhì qí biāo, xiān zhōng mǎn ér hòu fán xīn zhě zhì qí běn.
One must first bring this into order, and only then treat the other illness. When illness comes first and fullness in the centre follows, treat the branch; when fullness in the centre comes first and vexation of the heart follows, treat the root.
**「中滿」本篇3見:第八段「先熱而後生中滿者治其標」,第九段「先病而後先中滿者治其標」與「先中滿而後煩心者治其本」**;**「中」讀 zhōng,本篇4見而一讀;「滿」讀 mǎn,本篇6見**;**本篇治其本者12見,治其標者5見,五見治標之中滿居其二**;**「煩心」讀 fán xīn,本篇1見**;**第九段「先病而後先中滿者治其標」之「先」字疑衍,通行本作「生」,用戶裁定照錄不改,已入校勘**
素問·氣交變大論 Suwen 69 · 氣交變大論 Read in context →
歲土太過,雨濕流行,腎水受邪。民病腹痛,清厥意不樂,體重煩冤。上應鎮星。甚則肌肉萎,足痿不收,行善瘈,腳下痛,飲發,中滿食減,四支不舉。變生得位,藏氣伏,化氣獨治之,泉涌河衍,涸澤生魚,風雨大至,土崩潰,鱗見于陸。病腹滿溏泄,腸鳴,反下甚而太谿絶者,死不治。上應歲星。 岁土太过,雨湿流行,肾水受邪。民病腹痛,清厥意不乐,体重烦冤。上应镇星。甚则肌肉萎,足痿不收,行善瘈,脚下痛,饮发,中满食减,四支不举。变生得位,藏气伏,化气独治之,泉涌河衍,涸泽生鱼,风雨大至,土崩溃,鳞见于陆。病腹满溏泄,肠鸣,反下甚而太溪绝者,死不治。上应岁星。
Suì tǔ tài guò, yǔ shī liú xíng, shèn shuǐ shòu xié. Mín bìng fù tòng, qīng jué yì bù lè, tǐ zhòng fán yuān. Shàng yìng zhèn xīng. Shèn zé jī ròu wěi, zú wěi bù shōu, xíng shàn chì, jiǎo xià tòng, yǐn fā, zhōng mǎn shí jiǎn, sì zhī bù jǔ. Biàn shēng dé wèi, zàng qì fú, huà qì dú zhì zhī, quán yǒng hé yǎn, hé zé shēng yú, fēng yǔ dà zhì, tǔ bēng kuì, lín xiàn yú lù. Bìng fù mǎn táng xiè, cháng míng, fǎn xià shèn ér tài xī jué zhě, sǐ bù zhì. Shàng yìng suì xīng.
In a year of earth in surplus, rain and dampness spread and move and the water of the kidney receives evil. The people are ill with pain in the abdomen, clear counterflow and a mind that takes no pleasure, a heavy body and freting oppression; it answers above to Saturn. If it is severe, the flesh wastes, the feet are limp and cannot be drawn up, walking brings twitching, there is pain under the foot, rheum breaks out, the centre is full and eating diminishes, and the four limbs cannot be lifted. Change arises when it holds its place: the qi of storage lies hidden and the qi of transformation governs alone, springs gush and rivers overflow, dried-up marshes bring forth fish, wind and rain arrive in force, the earth crumbles and collapses, and scaled creatures are seen on land. The illness is fullness of the abdomen, sloppy diarrhoea and rumbling in the bowels; if it turns worse below and Taixi is cut off, there is death and no cure; it answers above to Jupiter.
「飲發,中滿食減,四支不舉」——**「中滿」本篇1見,止此一見**;**本篇中滿與飲發、食減、四支不舉並見,是土濕太過而中焦不運**;**「中」此讀 zhōng;本篇「中」11見而二讀,惟「上下中寒」讀 zhòng**;**「中滿」讀 zhōng mǎn**
素問·陰陽應象大論 Suwen 5 · 陰陽應象大論 Read in context →
形不足者,温之以氣。精不足者,補之以味。其高者,因而越之。其下者,引而竭之;中滿者,冩之於内;其有邪者,漬形以爲汗;其在皮者,汗而發之;其慓悍者,按而收之;其實者,散而冩之。 形不足者,温之以气。精不足者,补之以味。其高者,因而越之。其下者,引而竭之;中满者,泻之于内;其有邪者,渍形以为汗;其在皮者,汗而发之;其慓悍者,按而收之;其实者,散而泻之。
xíng bù zú zhě, wēn zhī yǐ qì. jīng bù zú zhě, bǔ zhī yǐ wèi. qí gāo zhě, yīn ér yuè zhī. qí xià zhě, yǐn ér jié zhī; zhōng mǎn zhě, xiè zhī yú nèi; qí yǒu xié zhě, zì xíng yǐ wéi hàn; qí zài pí zhě, hàn ér fā zhī; qí piāo hàn zhě, àn ér shōu zhī; qí shí zhě, sàn ér xiè zhī.
For insufficiency of form, warm it with qi. For insufficiency of essence, supplement it with flavour. What is high, follow it and let it out above. What is low, draw it out and drain it. For fullness in the centre, drain it from within. Where there is evil, steep the body to produce sweat. Where it is in the skin, sweat it and vent it. Where it is fierce and violent, press it and contain it. Where it is replete, scatter it and drain it.
「中滿者,冩之於内」——中滿者當瀉之於内,與其高者越之、其下者竭之並列;**「中滿」本篇1見**
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.
**「中滿」本篇1見,止在太陽司天「中滿不食」**;**此段水飲内蓄,故中滿不食,與「皮𤸷肉苛」相接**

Compounds built on this term

煩心
fán xīn
vexation of the heart
本篇1見,與「中滿」先後相因:中滿為先則治其本
治其標
zhì qí biāo
to treat the branch
本篇5見,中滿與小大不利居其間
治其本
zhì qí běn
to treat the root
本篇12見,為本篇先後諸病之常法
小大不利
xiǎo dà bù lì
the lesser and the greater do not flow freely
本篇2見,與中滿同為治標之例

How it has been translated

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

This sitefullness in the centreliteral from the graphs — 中 the centre, 滿 full — and kept rather than replaced, because the chapter treats the phrase as a place: what is inside has filled up, and that is why it must be opened before anything else is done
Later usagezhong man, central fullnesshow the phrase travels in English writing on Chinese medicine, transliterated with a gloss; faithful, and it leaves the reader to work out why it is an exception
Clinicalabdominal distensionthe modern term for the same finding; exact about the abdomen, and it drops the reason the chapter singles this one out — that a blocked centre cannot receive treatment either

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-10-05

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Reading path

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