Classica Sinica Medica

囊縮 简体 囊缩

náng suō

Retraction of the scrotum · nang suo

Also rendered: retraction of the scrotum (Anatomical and explicit; matches how the text uses it) · contraction of the scrotum (Closer to 縮 literally; less usual in this context)

Pathology

Reviewed · 2026-09

At a glance

Pinyin
náng suō
Simplified
囊缩
Literal
囊 náng, a bag or sac, here the scrotum; 縮 suō, to draw in or contract. The phrase describes exactly what is seen: the scrotum draws up. Chapter 31 puts it on the sixth day, when 厥陰 receives the disease, and explains it from the course of the vessel — the 厥陰 vessel runs along the private parts and networks into the liver, so heat deep in the vessel makes the sinews draw tight.
Shuowen
《說文解字》：囊，橐也，从㯻省，襄省聲——「囊」讀 náng，本篇三見；縮，亂也，从糸宿聲——**「縮」讀 suō，本篇二見**，一曰蹴也，收引之義。「六」讀 liù；「日」讀 rì；「厥」讀 jué；「陰」讀 yīn；「脉」讀 mài；「循」讀 xún；「器」讀 qì，**「陰器」讀 yīn qì，即前陰**；「而」讀 ér；「絡」讀 luò；「於」讀 yú；「肝」讀 gān；「故」讀 gù；「煩」讀 fán；「滿」讀 mǎn。**「囊縮」與下文「囊縱」為對文**：縮者收引，縱者舒縱，一縮一縱見邪氣之進退。

In brief

Drawing up of the scrotum, the sign chapter 31 attaches to the sixth day, when 厥陰 receives the disease, together with fretting and fullness. The explanation is anatomical: the 厥陰 vessel runs along the private parts and networks into the liver, so when heat has gone that deep the vessels and sinews draw tight. The chapter uses the same word’s opposite to mark recovery — on the twelfth day the scrotum relaxes — so that the one sign tracks the whole course of the disease.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
The sign on the sixth day 煩滿而囊縮
厥陰受邪，故煩滿而囊縮
煩滿而囊縮 — Suwen 31
2
Why that vessel 厥陰脉循陰器而絡於肝
厥陰之脉循陰器，熱深則筋脈收引
厥陰脉循陰器而絡於肝 — Suwen 31
3
The day it belongs to 六日，厥陰受之
六日厥陰受邪，六經傳變之末
六日，厥陰受之 — Suwen 31
4
Its opposite, on recovery 囊縱，少腹微下
十二日厥陰病衰，囊縱而少腹微下
囊縱，少腹微下 — Suwen 31
5
What follows if it goes inward 三陰三陽，五藏六府皆受病
六經遍傳則榮衛不行而死
三陰三陽，五藏六府皆受病 — Suwen 31
6
The same sign in the double case 耳聾囊縮而厥
兩感第三日厥陰與少陽俱病，囊縮而厥
耳聾囊縮而厥 — Suwen 31

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
1 passages
素問·熱論 Suwen 31 · 熱論 Read in context →
六日，厥陰受之，厥陰脉循陰器而絡於肝，故煩滿而囊縮。 六日，厥阴受之，厥阴脉循阴器而络于肝，故烦满而囊缩。
Liù rì, jué yīn shòu zhī, jué yīn mài xún yīn qì ér luò yú gān, gù fán mǎn ér náng suō.
On the sixth day 厥陰 receives it. The 厥陰 vessel runs along the private parts and networks into the liver, hence fretting and fullness with retraction of the scrotum.
六日厥陰受邪之狀。「六」讀 liù；「日」讀 rì；「厥」讀 jué，本篇五見；「陰」讀 yīn；「脉」讀 mài；「循」讀 xún；「器」讀 qì；「而」讀 ér；「絡」讀 luò；「於」讀 yú；「肝」讀 gān；「故」讀 gù；「煩」讀 fán；「滿」讀 mǎn；**「囊」讀 náng，本篇三見**；**「縮」讀 suō，本篇二見**。**此句與下文「十二日厥陰病衰，囊縱」為對文**，一縮一縱，見邪氣之進退。

Compounds built on this term

囊縮
náng suō
retraction of the scrotum
本篇二見（煩滿而囊縮、耳聾囊縮而厥）
囊縱
náng zòng
relaxation of the scrotum
本篇一見，囊縮之對文
陰器
yīn qì
the private parts
本篇一見，厥陰脉之所循
煩滿
fán mǎn
fretting and fullness
本篇二見，與囊縮同見於厥陰受邪之日

How it has been translated

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

Wiseman & Fengretraction of the scrotumThey name the part and the movement, which is what the text does, and keep the sign in the same register as the other signs in the six-day list.
Unschuld(the) scrotum shrinksUnschuld makes it a clause with 縮 as a verb, which is vivid but turns a symptom name into a sentence.
This siteretraction of the scrotumWe name the part and keep 縮 as retraction. The chapter pairs it with 囊縱 on the twelfth day, and a noun phrase makes that pairing visible.

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-09

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Reading path

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