Overflowing yin · yi yin

Also rendered: Overflowing yin (literal, and it keeps the pair) · Yin excess in the wrist pulse (clinical, and it loses the name)

Pathology

Reviewed · 2026-10-24

At a glance

Pinyin: yì yīn
Simplified: 溢阴
Literal: 溢 yì — overflow; 陰 yīn — the yin pulse, here the wrist pulse. Four times the neck pulse, and the chapter gives it a worse prognosis than its yang counterpart.
Shuowen: 《說文》：溢，器滿也。「溢陰」本篇2見。其文曰「内關不通，死不治」，與溢陽之「外格」相對，而輕重不同。

In brief

The state in which the wrist pulse is four times the neck pulse and both large and rapid: 脉口四盛，且大且數者，名曰溢陰，溢陰爲内關，内關不通，死不治 — overflowing yin is inner obstruction, and inner obstruction that does not open is a death that cannot be treated. The asymmetry with overflowing yang is deliberate: an outer obstruction can still be opened from without, an inner one cannot.

Senses in the classical corpus

The pulse 脉口四盛

寸口四倍於人迎

The wrist pulse fourfold, both large and rapid.

脉口四盛，且大且數者 — 靈樞·終始

The name 名曰溢陰

陰氣滿溢之名

It is called overflowing yin.

名曰溢陰 — 靈樞·終始

The consequence 溢陰爲内關

陰溢於内而關閉

Overflowing yin is inner obstruction, and if it does not open, death.

溢陰爲内關 — 靈樞·終始

Occurrences in the classics

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

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1 passages

靈樞·終始 Read in context →

脉口一盛，病在足厥陰，厥陰一盛而躁，在手心主。脉口二盛，病在足少陰，二盛而躁，在手少陰。脉口三盛，病在足太陰，三盛而躁，在手太陰。脉口四盛，且大且數者，名曰溢陰，溢陰爲内關，内關不通，死不治。人迎與太陰脉口俱盛四倍以上，命曰關格。關格者，與之短期。脉口一盛，病在足厥阴，厥阴一盛而躁，在手心主。脉口二盛，病在足少阴，二盛而躁，在手少阴。脉口三盛，病在足太阴，三盛而躁，在手太阴。脉口四盛，且大且数者，名曰溢阴，溢阴为内关，内关不通，死不治。人迎与太阴脉口俱盛四倍以上，命曰关格。关格者，与之短期。

mài kǒu yī shèng, bìng zài zú jué yīn, jué yīn yī shèng ér zào, zài shǒu xīn zhǔ. mài kǒu èr shèng, bìng zài zú shào yīn, èr shèng ér zào, zài shǒu shào yīn. mài kǒu sān shèng, bìng zài zú tài yīn, sān shèng ér zào, zài shǒu tài yīn. mài kǒu sì shèng, qiě dà qiě shuò zhě, míng yuē yì yīn, yì yīn wéi nèi guān, nèi guān bù tōng, sǐ bù zhì. rén yíng yǔ tài yīn mài kǒu jù shèng sì bèi yǐ shàng, mìng yuē guān gé. guān gé zhě, yǔ zhī duǎn qī.

When the wrist pulse is onefold abundant, the disease is in the foot jueyin; if onefold and agitated, in the hand pericardium. When twofold abundant, the disease is in the foot shaoyin; if twofold and agitated, in the hand shaoyin. When threefold abundant, the disease is in the foot taiyin; if threefold and agitated, in the hand taiyin. When fourfold abundant, both large and rapid, it is called overflowing yin, and overflowing yin is inner obstruction; when inner obstruction does not open, it is a death that cannot be treated. When the neck pulse and the taiyin wrist pulse are both four times and more, it is called the closing barrier; one who has the closing barrier has his term shortened.

「溢陰」與「溢陽」為一對：一在脉口，一在人迎；一為内關，一為外格。内關不通則死不治，較外格為重，此《終始》脈法之肯綮。

Compounds built on this term

内關

nèi guān

inner obstruction

溢陰所成

關格

guān gé

the closing barrier

與溢陰相貫

How it has been translated

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

This site	overflowing yin	the chapter's own term
Literal	yin overflowing	exact
Clinical	fourfold wrist pulse with inner obstruction	clear, and long

Entry status

Review pending — who reviews this?

2026-10-24

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