數 简体 数

shuò

The rapid quality · shuo

Also rendered: The frequent pulse (Literal) · The accelerated pulse (Clinical)

Reviewed · 2026-10-28

At a glance

Pinyin
shuò
Simplified
数
Literal
數 shuò — many, repeated; read shuò here, not shù, because the pulse is being counted, not numbered. It is more beats to the breath than the normal five.
Shuowen
**《說文》:數,計也**,从攴,婁聲。**「數」五篇共48見**(經文),其讀為 shuò 者皆指脉至之促,讀 shù 者為度數、日數,須隨文别之。

In brief

The rapid quality: more beats to the breath than the normal five. It belongs to the yang family and answers heat. The book uses it in three ways that must not be flattened: as a quality (脉浮而數), as the herald of a coming transmission (脉數急者,爲傳也), and as part of the definition of the skipping pulse (脉來數,時一止復來者,名曰促). Read shuò throughout; the same character read shù means a count or a number of days.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
The rapid quality 脉來數
一息六至以上,是為數脉
A pulse that comes rapid and stops once, then comes again, is named the skipping pulse.
脉來數,時一止復來者,名曰促 — 傷寒論·辨脉法第一
2
Rapid with heat 脉浮而數
浮數並見,表有熱而大便不通
Floating and rapid, with appetite and no stool: this is repletion.
其脉浮而數,能食,不大便者,此爲實 — 傷寒論·辨脉法第一
3
In the yang family 諸陽浮數
浮數為陽脉,主府病
The yang pulses, floating and rapid, ride upon the fu organs.
諸陽浮數爲乘府 — 傷寒論·辨脉法第一
4
Rapid on the bar 數脉見于關上
數脉見於關上,形如豆而動搖
A rapid pulse seen at the bar, with no head or tail, big as a bean and stirring.
若數脉見于關上,上下無頭尾,如豆大 — 傷寒論·辨脉法第一
5
Rapid read as emptiness 數爲虚
浮數相搏,數主虚
Floating is wind and rapid is emptiness: the two contending bring shivering and aversion to cold.
脉浮而數,浮爲風,數爲虚 — 傷寒論·辨脉法第一
6
Rapid and urgent 脉數急者
數急者,邪欲內傳
With a wish to vomit and restlessness, a rapid and urgent pulse means the evil is transmitting.
頗欲吐,若燥煩,脉數急者,爲傳也 — 傷寒論·辨太陽病脉證并治上第五

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
4 passages
傷寒論·辨脉法第一 Read in context →
脉來緩,時一止復來者,名曰結。脉來數,時一止復來者,名曰促。脉陽盛則促,陰盛則結,此皆病脉。 脉来缓,时一止复来者,名曰结。脉来数,时一止复来者,名曰促。脉阳盛则促,阴盛则结,此皆病脉。
mài lái huǎn shí yī zhǐ fù lái zhě míng yuē jié mài lái shuò shí yī zhǐ fù lái zhě míng yuē cù mài yáng shèng zé cù yīn shèng zé jié cǐ jiē bìng mài
A pulse that comes relaxed and now and then stops before returning is called knotted; a pulse that comes rapid and now and then stops before returning is called hurried. Yang excess gives the hurried, yin excess the knotted; both are diseased pulses.
**「數」五篇共48見**(經文,不含成注),本文引第1篇第13段、第1篇第02段、第1篇第27段、第5篇第04段。
傷寒論·辨脉法第一 Read in context →
問曰:脉有陽結陰結者,何以别之?答曰:其脉浮而數,能食,不大便者,此爲實,名曰陽結也,期十七日當劇。其脉沉而遲,不能食,身體重,大便反鞕,名曰陰結也,期十四日當劇。 问曰:脉有阳结阴结者,何以别之?答曰:其脉浮而数,能食,不大便者,此为实,名曰阳结也,期十七日当剧。其脉沉而迟,不能食,身体重,大便反鞕,名曰阴结也,期十四日当剧。
wèn yuē mài yǒu yáng jié yīn jié zhě hé yǐ bié zhī dá yuē qí mài fú ér shuò néng shí bù dà biàn zhě cǐ wéi shí míng yuē yáng jié yě qī shí qī rì dāng jù qí mài chén ér chí bù néng shí shēn tǐ zhòng dà biàn fǎn yìng míng yuē yīn jié yě qī shí sì rì dāng jù
Asked: “When the pulse has yang binding and yin binding, how are they told apart?” The answer: “If the pulse is floating and rapid, with ability to eat but no stool, this is excess: it is called yang binding, and it is expected to worsen on the seventeenth day. If the pulse is deep and slow, with no appetite, heaviness of body and a hard stool instead, it is called yin binding, and it is expected to worsen on the fourteenth day.”
數讀 shuò,與讀 shù 之度數、日數别。卷一首段已以此字定陽脉,末段復以「數爲虚」見其兩面。
傷寒論·辨脉法第一 Read in context →
經曰:諸陽浮數爲乘府,諸陰遲濇爲乘藏。 经曰:诸阳浮数为乘府,诸阴迟涩为乘藏。
jīng yuē zhū yáng fú shuò wéi chéng fǔ zhū yīn chí sè wéi chéng zàng
The classic says: “All yang pulses that are floating and rapid indicate attack on the fu; all yin pulses that are slow and astringent indicate attack on the zang.”
數讀 shuò,與讀 shù 之度數、日數别。卷一首段已以此字定陽脉,末段復以「數爲虚」見其兩面。
傷寒論·辨太陽病脉證并治上第五 Read in context →
傷寒一日,太陽受之,脉若靜者,爲不傳。頗欲吐,若燥煩,脉數急者,爲傳也。 伤寒一日,太阳受之,脉若静者,为不传。颇欲吐,若燥烦,脉数急者,为传也。
shāng hán yī rì tài yáng shòu zhī mài ruò jìng zhě wéi bù chuán pō yù tǔ ruò zào fán mài shuò jí zhě wéi chuán yě
On the first day of cold damage the taiyang receives it; if the pulse stays quiet it will not transmit. If there is much desire to vomit, or restlessness and agitation, with a rapid, urgent pulse, it will transmit.
數讀 shuò,與讀 shù 之度數、日數别。卷一首段已以此字定陽脉,末段復以「數爲虚」見其兩面。

Compounds built on this term

脉浮而數
mài fú ér shuò
the pulse is floating and rapid
辨脉法第一
脉數急
mài shuò jí
the pulse is rapid and urgent
太陽病脉證并治上第五
諸陽浮數
zhū yáng fú shuò
all yang pulses, floating and rapid
辨脉法第一
數脉
shuò mài
the rapid pulse
辨脉法第一

How it has been translated

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

This sitethe rapid qualitykeeps the count in the breath, not the clock
Literalmanyexact as a gloss, useless as a term
Clinicaltachycardicclear, and anachronistic

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-10-28

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Reading path

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