厥逆

jué nì

Counterflow inversion · jue ni

Also rendered: counterflow inversion (Keeps 厥 and 逆 as two words for the same movement) · rebellious counterflow (More forceful; risks reading as a moral term)

Reviewed · 2026-09

At a glance

Pinyin
jué nì
Simplified
厥逆
Literal
Two graphs for one movement: 厥 jué, rebellion or inversion, and 逆 nì, going against. Used together they name qi that has stopped travelling the way it should and is travelling the other way. Chapter 30 uses the pair at its sharpest point — the moment where the chapter decides whether a panting patient lives or dies. If the counterflow reaches the depots he dies; if it reaches only the channels he lives. The pair is not a disease name here but a direction, and the direction is what the prognosis reads.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:厥,發石也,从厂欮聲——**「厥」讀 jué,本篇二見,於醫書中為氣逆上之義**;「逆」讀 nì,不順也。**二字同義連用,本篇一見:「厥逆連藏則死」**——與「煎厥」「薄厥」「痿厥」「清厥」之為病名者別,亦與本站「厥氣」(id 694,逆上之氣)之名物者異:彼言其氣,此言其勢。

In brief

Qi that has turned and is travelling against its proper direction. In chapter 30 it is the state of Yangming when it rebels upward: the patient pants, the panting distresses him, and the distress makes him unable to bear company. The same counterflow carries the chapter’s only prognostic judgement — reached to the depots it kills, reached only to the channels it does not.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
Counterflow in Yangming 陽明厥
陽明之氣不順行而逆上
陽明厥則喘而惋 — Suwen 30
2
The pair named 厥逆
二字同義連用,言氣逆之勢
厥逆連藏則死 — Suwen 30
3
What it produces 喘而惋
氣逆於上則喘,喘而氣鬱於中則惋
陽明厥則喘而惋,惋則惡人 — Suwen 30
4
Deep: reaching the depots 連藏則死
邪入藏則氣機已敗
厥逆連藏則死 — Suwen 30
5
Shallow: reaching the channels 連經則生
邪猶在經,可汗可刺
連經則生 — Suwen 30
6
The rule it follows 或喘而死,或喘而生
同是喘,視邪所連之淺深而生死判
或喘而死者,或喘而生者,何也 — Suwen 30

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
7 passages
素問·陽明脉解 Suwen 30 · 陽明脉解 Read in context →
歧伯曰:厥逆連藏則死。 歧伯曰:厥逆连脏则死。
Qí bó yuē: jué nì lián zàng zé sǐ.
Qibo says: when the counterflow reaches the depots, the patient dies.
此句是全篇唯一言及預後之處。「歧」讀 qí;「伯」讀 bó;「曰」讀 yuē;**「厥」讀 jué,本篇二見**;**「逆」讀 nì,不順也**;**「連」讀 lián,本篇二見,牽連、及於也**;**「藏」讀 zàng,本篇惟此一見**,指五藏,底本作「藏」,不作「臟」,亦不作「脏」;「則」讀 zé;「死」讀 sǐ。**「厥逆」二字同義連用**:謂氣逆而上,與「煎厥」「薄厥」之為病名者別,與本站「厥氣」條之名物者亦別——彼言其氣,此言其勢。邪在經為淺,入藏為深;厥逆連藏則氣機已敗,故死;連經則邪猶在外,故生(見下句「連經則生」)。
素問·瘧論 Suwen 35 · 瘧論 Read in context →
歧伯曰:癉瘧者,肺素有熱,氣盛於身,厥逆上衝,中氣實而不外泄,因有所用力,腠理開,風寒舍於皮膚之内,分肉之閒而發,發則陽氣盛,陽氣盛而不衰,則病矣。 歧伯曰:瘅疟者,肺素有热,气盛于身,厥逆上冲,中气实而不外泄,因有所用力,腠理开,风寒舍于皮肤之内,分肉之间而发,发则阳气盛,阳气盛而不衰,则病矣。
Qí bó yuē: dān nüè zhě, fèi sù yǒu rè, qì shèng yú shēn, jué nì shàng chōng, zhōng qì shí ér bù wài xiè, yīn yǒu suǒ yòng lì, còu lǐ kāi, fēng hán shè yú pí fū zhī nèi, fēn ròu zhī jiān ér fā, fā zé yáng qì shèng, yáng qì shèng ér bù shuāi, zé bìng yǐ.
Qi Bo says: in dan malaria the lung has heat by long standing, the qi is exuberant in the body, and it surges upward in counterflow; the central qi is replete and does not discharge outward. Then a strain is taken, the interstices open, and wind and cold lodge inside the skin, breaking out between the parted flesh. When it breaks out the yang qi is exuberant, and being exuberant without declining, the disease is there.
「厥逆」之目於本站已立(id 925),所收一條(第三十篇:陽明厥逆而喘)。**本篇「厥逆」二字惟此一見,而言肺熱之厥逆上衝**——**第三十篇之厥逆由於陽明之氣上逆,本篇之厥逆由於肺之素熱**,**同是上逆,而所起之藏異**。「癉」讀 dān;「瘧」讀 nüè;「者」讀 zhě;「肺」讀 fèi,本篇惟此一見;「素」讀 sù,本篇惟此一見;「有」讀 yǒu;「熱」讀 rè;「氣」讀 qì;「盛」讀 shèng;「於」讀 yú;「身」讀 shēn,本篇惟此一見;「厥」讀 jué,本篇惟此一見;「逆」讀 nì,本篇 4 見;「上」讀 shàng;「衝」讀 chōng,本篇惟此一見,不作「冲」(「冲」);「中」讀 zhōng;「實」讀 shí;「而」讀 ér;「不」讀 bù;「外」讀 wài;「泄」讀 xiè;「因」讀 yīn;「所」讀 suǒ;「用」讀 yòng;「力」讀 lì;「腠」讀 còu;「理」讀 lǐ;「開」讀 kāi;「風」讀 fēng;「寒」讀 hán;「舍」讀 shè;「皮」讀 pí;「膚」讀 fū;「内」讀 nèi;「分」讀 fēn;「肉」讀 ròu;「之」讀 zhī;「閒」讀 jiān,本篇 2 見,**不作「間」(「間」)**;「發」讀 fā;「則」讀 zé;「陽」讀 yáng;「衰」讀 shuāi,本篇 5 見;「病」讀 bìng;「矣」讀 yǐ。**「氣盛於身,厥逆上衝,中氣實而不外泄」十五字,是本篇癉瘧病機之最密處**:肺素有熱則氣盛於身,盛則上衝,中氣實則不外泄,**三者相因而熱愈盛,故下文曰「陽氣盛而不衰,則病矣」**。**與本站「厥逆」條所收第三十篇「陽明厥逆而喘」相較**:**彼之厥逆見於喘,此之厥逆見於上衝而不外泄**——**一則上逆而見於息,一則上逆而閉於中**。
素問·舉痛論 Suwen 39 · 舉痛論 Read in context →
寒氣客於腸胃,厥逆上出,故痛而嘔也。 寒气客于肠胃,厥逆上出,故痛而呕也。
Hán qì kè yú cháng wèi, jué nì shàng chū, gù tòng ér ǒu yě.
Cold qi lodging in the stomach and intestines rebels upward and comes out, hence pain with vomiting.
**本篇「厥逆」2見**:**一在「寒氣客於五藏,厥逆上泄」,一在「寒氣客於腸胃,厥逆上出」**。**本站「厥逆」(#925)已收第三十篇「厥逆連藏則死」、第三十五篇「厥逆上衝,中氣實而不外泄」**;**本篇之二條則以「上泄」「上出」別其為藏為府**:**客於五藏者上泄而陰氣竭,死不知人**;**客於腸胃者上出而痛且嘔**。**「泄」與「出」一字之別,即藏與府、死與嘔之別**——**本篇用字之密,於此可見**。「腸」讀 cháng、**「胃」讀 wèi;「出」讀 chū;「嘔」讀 ǒu;「也」讀 yě。
素問·腹中論 Suwen 40 · 腹中論 Read in context →
歧伯曰:名厥逆。 歧伯曰:名厥逆。
Qí bó yuē: míng jué nì.
Qi Bo says: it is named counterflow.
**「名厥逆」三字,是本篇答病名之最簡者**——**承上「此爲何病」之問,徑以名答,不更著一語**。**本篇「厥逆」1見、「厥」1見、「逆」2見**(居齊上爲逆、名厥逆);「名」讀 míng、**本篇6見**(名爲、病名、病名曰、名厥逆)。**厥逆之證膺腫、頸痛、胸滿、腹脹,四者皆自上而下**,**其病機在下文「陽氣重上,有餘於上」**:**陽重於上,故不可灸、不可石**——**灸之則喑,石之則狂,須其氣并而後可治**。**與第三十篇「陽明厥逆」之喘而驚者同為厥逆,而此條獨言治禁**。
素問·厥論 Suwen 45 · 厥論 Read in context →
太陰厥逆,䯒急攣,心痛引腹,治主病者。 太阴厥逆,䯒急挛,心痛引腹,治主病者。
Tài yīn jué nì, héng jí luán, xīn tòng yǐn fù, zhì zhǔ bìng zhě.
In counterflow inversion of greater yin the shank is tight and cramped and the heart pain draws into the belly; treat what governs the disease.
「太陰厥逆」——**本篇「厥逆」十見,自六經之厥狀以下皆厥逆之目**;「厥」讀 jué、**本篇27見,篇題亦與焉**;**「厥」與「厥逆」有別:厥言其病,厥逆言其氣之逆上**。
素問·奇病論 Suwen 47 · 奇病論 Read in context →
帝曰:人有病頭痛,以數歲不已,此安得之?名爲何病?歧伯曰:當有所犯大寒,内至骨髓,髓者以腦爲主,腦逆故令頭痛,齒亦痛,病名曰厥逆。帝曰:善。 帝曰:人有病头痛,以数岁不已,此安得之?名为何病?歧伯曰:当有所犯大寒,内至骨髓,髓者以脑为主,脑逆故令头痛,齿亦痛,病名曰厥逆。帝曰:善。
Dì yuē: rén yǒu bìng tóu tòng, yǐ shuò suì bù yǐ, cǐ ān dé zhī? Míng wéi hé bìng? Qí bó yuē: dāng yǒu suǒ fàn dà hán, nèi zhì gǔ suǐ, suǐ zhě yǐ nǎo wéi zhǔ, nǎo nì gù lìng tóu tòng, chǐ yì tòng, bìng míng yuē jué nì. Dì yuē: shàn.
The Emperor asks: a person with head pain that has not let up for several years — how was this got, and what is it named? Qi Bo answers: he must have offended against great cold, which reached inward to the bone marrow. The marrow takes the brain as its master; when the brain counterflows it causes head pain, and the teeth ache as well. The illness is named counterflow inversion. The Emperor says: good.
「腦逆故令頭痛,齒亦痛,病名曰「厥」讀 jué「逆」讀 nì」——**本篇「厥逆」1見**;**逆讀 nì;此厥逆指寒氣上逆於腦,與第四十五篇十二經厥逆之稱雖同而所指各別**;**「必數歲不已」之數讀 shuò,見本篇校勘第十條**;「齒」讀 chǐ,**齒讀 chǐ,牙齒之齒**。
Suwen 70 Suwen 70 · 五常政大論 Read in context →
帝曰:願卒聞之。歧伯曰:少陽司天,火氣下臨,肺氣上從,白起金用,草木眚,火見燔爇,革金且耗,大暑以行,欬嚏鼽衄鼻窒曰瘍,寒熱胕腫。風行于地,塵沙飛揚。心痛胃脘痛,厥逆鬲不通,其主暴速。 帝曰:愿卒闻之。歧伯曰:少阳司天,火气下临,肺气上从,白起金用,草木眚,火见燔爇,革金且耗,大暑以行,咳嚏鼽衄鼻窒曰疡,寒热胕肿。风行于地,尘沙飞扬。心痛胃脘痛,厥逆鬲不通,其主暴速。
Dì yuē: yuàn cù wén zhī. Qí bó yuē: shào yáng sī tiān, huǒ qì xià lín, fèi qì shàng cóng, bái qǐ jīn yòng, cǎo mù shěng, huǒ xiàn fán ruò, gé jīn qiě hào, dà shǔ yǐ xíng, kài tì qiú nǜ bí zhì yuē yáng, hán rè fū zhǒng. Fēng xíng yú dì, chén shā fēi yáng. Xīn tòng wèi wǎn tòng, jué nì gé bù tōng, qí zhǔ bào sù.
Huang Di said: I wish to hear it all. Qi Bo said: when lesser yang governs the heaven the qi of fire descends upon it and the qi of the lung follows upward; white arises and metal comes into use; grass and trees suffer calamity; fire appears and blazes and burns, and metal is changed and consumed; great heat thereby moves. The illness is cough, sneezing, snivelling, nosebleed, blocked nose and sores, cold and heat and water swelling. Wind moves over the earth and dust and sand fly. The illness is pain in the heart, pain in the stomach duct, counterflow and obstruction of the diaphragm; its charge is suddenness and speed.
**「厥逆」本篇2見:一在此段「厥逆鬲不通」,一在太陰司天「動轉不便也,厥逆」**;**此段為少陽司天,厥逆與鬲不通連言**

Compounds built on this term

厥逆
jué nì
counterflow inversion
本篇一見,連藏連經之斷語
陽明厥
yáng míng jué
Yangming counterflow
本篇一見,喘而惋之因
厥氣
jué qì
counterflow qi
本站已立目(id 694),言其氣,與此言其勢者別
煎厥 · 薄厥
jiān jué · bó jué
scorching inversion, sudden inversion
本站已立目(id 220、221),皆病名非勢

How it has been translated

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

Wiseman & FengcounterflowThey use 'counterflow' for 逆 throughout and render 厥 as 'reversal' or fold it into a disease name, keeping the two graphs distinct.
Unschuld(rendered as) reversal / contrary movementUnschuld keeps the directional sense explicit, often glossing 厥 as a movement rather than a condition.
This sitecounterflow inversionWe render both graphs, since the chapter uses them together once and separately once, and the doubled form is doing work: it insists that this is a direction of movement rather than a named disease. Elsewhere on this site 厥 appears inside disease names (煎厥, 薄厥); here it does not, and the rendering should say so.

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-09

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