皮毛

pí máo

Skin and body hair · pi mao

Also rendered: Skin and body hair (this site; keeps both nouns visible) · Body surface (an alternative that loses the 毛 half of the pairing)

Reviewed · 2026-09

At a glance

Pinyin
pí máo
Simplified
皮毛
Literal
皮毛 pí máo — skin, and body hair. Two nouns the Suwen habitually runs together as one: the outer surface of the body, the first thing an evil from outside meets. Chapter 38 gives the pair its standard definition in a single line — 皮毛者,肺之合也, the skin and body hair are what the lung is paired with — and then uses that pairing as the road by which the evil travels inward. The chapter's mechanism of cough cannot be stated without it.
Shuowen
《說文解字》:皮,剝取獸革者謂之皮——**本義為獸革,引申為膚表**;**毛,眉髮之屬及獸毛也**——**本義為毫毛**。「皮」讀 pí,**本篇2見**;「毛」讀 máo,**本篇2見**——**二字皆見於「皮毛」一詞,本篇別無單用**。**「毛」字本站有二義**:**此為皮毛之毛(身表之毫毛),與本站「毛」(#613,秋脉之毛、毛而中央堅)同名異實**——**本站分立,不為混注**。

In brief

The body’s outer surface — skin and its hair — treated as the lung’s external counterpart. It is the first thing an evil from outside meets, and the pairing between it and the lung is the road the evil takes inward.

Senses in the classical corpus

1
What the graphs say 皮毛
皮,膚表也;毛,毫毛也;皮毛者,身之表
皮毛者,肺之合也 — Suwen 38
2
What the lung is paired with 肺之合
肺合皮毛,皮毛為肺之外應
皮毛者,肺之合也 — Suwen 38
3
The first to receive evil 先受邪氣
邪自外入,皮毛先當之
皮毛先受邪氣 — Suwen 38
4
The road inward 從其合
邪由皮毛循其與肺相合之關係而入
邪氣以從其合也 — Suwen 38
5
The outer half of the joining 外
與寒飲食入胃之內邪相合而為欬
肺寒則外内合邪 — Suwen 38
6
Distinguished from the pulse sense 毛
本站「毛」(#613)為秋脉之毛,與此皮毛之毛同名異實
皮毛者,肺之合也 — Suwen 38

Occurrences in the classics

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

Display
9 passages
Suwen 38 Suwen 38 · 欬論 Read in context →
歧伯曰:皮毛者,肺之合也,皮毛先受邪氣,邪氣以從其合也。 歧伯曰:皮毛者,肺之合也,皮毛先受邪气,邪气以从其合也。
Qí bó yuē: pí máo zhě, fèi zhī hé yě, pí máo xiān shòu xié qì, xié qì yǐ cóng qí hé yě.
Qi Bo says: the skin and body hair are what the lung is paired with. They are the first to receive the evil qi, and the evil qi follows that pairing inward.
**「皮毛者,肺之合也,皮毛先受邪氣,邪氣以從其合也」二十二字,是欬之外感一途**——**與下文「其寒飲食入胃,從肺脉上至於肺」之內生一途,合為「外内合邪」之兩途**。**「合」「合」讀 hé本篇4見而二義**:**此「肺之合」「從其合」為配合、相合之義,篇末「治府者治其合」之合為合穴之名**——**同篇同名而義別,本站各注其義**。**「内」(「内」讀 nèi)不作「內」(「內」)**;**「脉」(「脉」讀 mài)不作「脈」(「脈」)**。**「皮毛」一詞《素問》屢見**(第三十三篇「今邪氣交爭於骨肉」、第六十二篇之屬),**而以此篇之「肺之合」一句為其定義**。
素問·痿論 Suwen 44 · 痿論 Read in context →
歧伯對曰:肺主身之皮毛,心主身之血脉,肝主身之筋膜,脾主身之肌肉,腎主身之骨髓。故肺熱葉焦,則皮毛虚弱急薄,著則生痿躄也。 歧伯对曰:肺主身之皮毛,心主身之血脉,肝主身之筋膜,脾主身之肌肉,肾主身之骨髓。故肺热叶焦,则皮毛虚弱急薄,著则生痿躄也。
Qí bó duì yuē: fèi zhǔ shēn zhī pí máo, xīn zhǔ shēn zhī xuè mài, gān zhǔ shēn zhī jīn mó, pí zhǔ shēn zhī jī ròu, shèn zhǔ shēn zhī gǔ suǐ.Gù fèi rè yè jiāo, zé pí máo xū ruò jí bó, zhuó zé shēng wěi bì yě.
Qi Bo replies: the lung governs the skin and hair of the body, the heart governs the blood vessels, the liver governs the sinew membranes, the spleen governs the flesh, and the kidney governs the bones and marrow. So when the lung is hot and its lobes are scorched, the skin and hair become weak, tight and thin; when that lodges fast, flaccidity and the inability to walk develop.
「肺主身之皮毛」——**皮毛本篇二見,肺之所主**;**「皮毛虚弱急薄」之「薄」讀 bó**;「著」讀 zhuó,**「著則生痿躄也」讀 zhuó,留著不去**。
素問·皮部論 Suwen 56 · 皮部論 Read in context →
是故百病之始生也,必先於皮毛。 是故百病之始生也,必先于皮毛。
Shì gù bǎi bìng zhī shǐ shēng yě, bì xiān yú pí máo.
Therefore when the hundred illnesses first arise, they are necessarily first in the skin and its hair.
「是故百病之始生也,必先於「皮」讀 pí「毛」讀 máo」——**本篇「皮毛」1見,讀 pí máo**;**本目第三義「外邪之最先受者」、第四義「入内之路」,皆本於本篇**:**「百病之始生也,必先於皮毛」——最先受者**;**「邪中之則腠理開,開則入客於絡脉,留而不去,傳入於經,留而不去,傳入於府,廩於腸胃」——入内之路**;**本篇即此二義所出之文**
素問·繆刺論 Suwen 63 · 繆刺論 Read in context →
歧伯對曰:夫邪之客於形也,必先舍於皮毛;留而不去,入舍於孫脉;留而不去,入舍於絡脉;留而不去,入舍於經脉,内連五藏,散於腸胃,陰陽俱感,五藏乃傷,此邪之從皮毛而入,極於五藏之次也,如此則治其經焉。 歧伯对曰:夫邪之客于形也,必先舍于皮毛;留而不去,入舍于孙脉;留而不去,入舍于络脉;留而不去,入舍于经脉,内连五藏,散于肠胃,阴阳俱感,五藏乃伤,此邪之从皮毛而入,极于五藏之次也,如此则治其经焉。
Qí bó duì yuē: fú xié zhī kè yú xíng yě, bì xiān shè yú pí máo; liú ér bù qù, rù shè yú sūn mài; liú ér bù qù, rù shè yú luò mài; liú ér bù qù, rù shè yú jīng mài, nèi lián wǔ zàng, sàn yú cháng wèi, yīn yáng jù gǎn, wǔ zàng nǎi shāng, cǐ xié zhī cóng pí máo ér rù, jí yú wǔ zàng zhī cì yě, rú cǐ zé zhì qí jīng yān.
Qi Bo replies: When evil lodges in the form it must first settle in the skin and the down. If it stays and does not leave it enters the grandchild vessel; if it stays and does not leave it enters the network vessel; if it stays and does not leave it enters the channel vessel, links inward to the five viscera and spreads to the stomach and bowels, so that yin and yang are both affected and the five viscera are harmed. This is the order by which evil enters at the skin and the hair and reaches its extreme in the five viscera. In such a case one treats the channels.
「夫邪之客於形也,必先舍於皮毛」——**「皮毛」本篇3見,為邪入之第一層**:**「必先舍於皮毛」一見、「今邪客於皮毛」一見、「此邪之從皮毛而入」一見**;**邪從皮毛而入,極於五藏之次——本篇之傳變全由此發端**;**「皮」讀 pí、「毛」讀 máo**
素問·五運行大論 Suwen 67 · 五運行大論 Read in context →
西方生燥,燥生金,金生辛,辛生肺,肺生皮毛,皮毛生腎。其在天爲燥,在地爲金,在體爲皮毛,在氣爲成,在藏爲肺。其性爲涼,其德爲清,其用爲固,其色爲白,其化爲斂,其蟲介,其政爲勁,其令霧露,其變肅殺,其眚蒼落,其味爲辛,其志爲憂。憂傷肺,喜勝憂,熱傷皮毛,寒勝熱,辛傷皮毛,苦勝辛。 西方生燥,燥生金,金生辛,辛生肺,肺生皮毛,皮毛生肾。其在天为燥,在地为金,在体为皮毛,在气为成,在藏为肺。其性为凉,其德为清,其用为固,其色为白,其化为敛,其虫介,其政为劲,其令雾露,其变肃杀,其眚苍落,其味为辛,其志为忧。忧伤肺,喜胜忧,热伤皮毛,寒胜热,辛伤皮毛,苦胜辛。
Xī fāng shēng zào, zào shēng jīn, jīn shēng xīn, xīn shēng fèi, fèi shēng pí máo, pí máo shēng shèn. Qí zài tiān wéi zào, zài dì wéi jīn, zài tǐ wéi pí máo, zài qì wéi chéng, zài zàng wéi fèi. Qí xìng wéi liáng, qí dé wéi qīng, qí yòng wéi gù, qí sè wéi bái, qí huà wéi liǎn, qí chóng jiè, qí zhèng wéi jìng, qí lìng wù lù, qí biàn sù shā, qí shěng cāng luò, qí wèi wéi xīn, qí zhì wéi yōu. Yōu shāng fèi, xǐ shèng yōu, rè shāng pí máo, hán shèng rè, xīn shāng pí máo, kǔ shèng xīn.
The west generates dryness, dryness generates metal, metal generates acrid, acrid generates the lung, the lung generates skin and hair, and skin and hair generate the kidney. In heaven it is dryness, in earth metal, in the body skin and hair, in qi completion, and among the viscera the lung. Its nature is coolness, its virtue clarity, its action firmness, its colour white, its transformation contraction, its creature the shelled, its governance vigour, its command mist and dew, its change shrivelling and killing, its calamity withering and falling, its flavour acrid, and its emotion worry. Worry harms the lung and joy overcomes worry; heat harms skin and hair and cold overcomes heat; acrid harms skin and hair and bitter overcomes acrid.
「肺生皮毛,皮毛生腎」——**「皮毛」本篇5見:肺生皮毛、在體爲皮毛、熱傷皮毛、辛傷皮毛**;**西方一條以皮毛為肺之所生、所合與所受傷之處**;**本篇「毛」字另有「其蟲毛」一見,是毛蟲之毛,與本站秋脉之毛(#613)同名異實,故不掛該目**
素問·氣交變大論 Suwen 69 · 氣交變大論 Read in context →
金不及,夏有光顯鬱蒸之令,則冬有嚴凝整肅之應;夏有炎爍燔燎之變,則秋有冰雹霜雪之復。其眚西,其藏肺,其病内舍膺脅肩背,外在皮毛。 金不及,夏有光显郁蒸之令,则冬有严凝整肃之应;夏有炎烁燔燎之变,则秋有冰雹霜雪之复。其眚西,其藏肺,其病内舍膺胁肩背,外在皮毛。
Jīn bù jí, xià yǒu guāng xiǎn yù zhēng zhī lìng, zé dōng yǒu yán níng zhěng sù zhī yìng; xià yǒu yán shuò fán liǎo zhī biàn, zé qiū yǒu bīng báo shuāng xuě zhī fù. Qí shěng xī, qí zàng fèi, qí bìng nèi shè yīng xié jiān bèi, wài zài pí máo.
When metal falls short, if summer has the command of manifest light and pent-up steaming, then winter has the answering of harsh congealing and ordered severity; if summer has the change of blazing, scorching, burning and firing, then autumn has the revenge of hail, frost and snow. Its calamity is in the west, its viscus is the lung, and its illness lodges within in the breast, the flanks, the shoulder and the back and shows without in the skin and the body hair.
「其眚西,其藏肺,其病内舍膺脅肩背,外在皮毛」——**「皮毛」本篇1見,止此一見**;**皮毛者肺之合,本篇以為西方肺之外應**;**本篇「毛」1見,即在「皮毛」之内,不入「毛」目**;**「皮」讀 pí、「毛」讀 máo**
素問·金匱真言論 Suwen 4 · 金匱真言論 Read in context →
西方白色,入通於肺,開竅於鼻,藏精於肺,故病在背。其味辛,其類金,其畜馬,其榖稻。其應四時,上爲太白星,是以知病之在皮毛也。其音商,其數九,其臭腥。 西方白色,入通于肺,开窍于鼻,藏精于肺,故病在背。其味辛,其类金,其畜马,其谷稻。其应四时,上为太白星,是以知病之在皮毛也。其音商,其数九,其臭腥。
xī fāng bái sè, rù tōng yú fèi, kāi qiào yú bí, cáng jīng yú fèi, gù bìng zài bèi. qí wèi xīn, qí lèi jīn, qí chù mǎ, qí gǔ dào. qí yìng sì shí, shàng wéi tài bái xīng, shì yǐ zhī bìng zhī zài pí máo yě. qí yīn shāng, qí shù jiǔ, qí xiù xīng.
The west is the white colour; it enters and communicates with the lung. It opens into the nose and stores its essence in the lung; hence the disease is in the back. Its flavour is acrid, its class metal, its domestic animal the horse, its grain rice. Answering to the four seasons, above it is the Great White Star; hence one knows the disease is in the skin and body hair. Its note is shang, its number nine. Its odour is fishy.
「是以知病之在皮毛也」——肺主皮毛,西方之病應之;**「皮毛」本篇1見**
素問·陰陽應象大論 Suwen 5 · 陰陽應象大論 Read in context →
西方生燥,燥生金,金生辛,辛生肺,肺生皮毛,皮毛生腎。肺主鼻。其在天爲燥,在地爲金,在體爲皮毛,在藏爲肺,在色爲白,在音爲商,在聲爲哭,在變動爲欬,在竅爲鼻,在味爲辛,在志爲憂。憂傷肺,喜勝憂;熱傷皮毛,寒勝熱;辛傷皮毛,苦勝辛。 西方生燥,燥生金,金生辛,辛生肺,肺生皮毛,皮毛生肾。肺主鼻。其在天为燥,在地为金,在体为皮毛,在藏为肺,在色为白,在音为商,在声为哭,在变动为咳,在窍为鼻,在味为辛,在志为忧。忧伤肺,喜胜忧;热伤皮毛,寒胜热;辛伤皮毛,苦胜辛。
xī fāng shēng zào, zào shēng jīn, jīn shēng xīn, xīn shēng fèi, fèi shēng pí máo, pí máo shēng shèn. fèi zhǔ bí. qí zài tiān wéi zào, zài dì wéi jīn, zài tǐ wéi pí máo, zài zàng wéi fèi, zài sè wéi bái, zài yīn wéi shāng, zài shēng wéi kū, zài biàn dòng wéi ké, zài qiào wéi bí, zài wèi wéi xīn, zài zhì wéi yōu. yōu shāng fèi, xǐ shèng yōu; rè shāng pí máo, hán shèng rè; xīn shāng pí máo, kǔ shèng xīn.
The west engenders dryness, dryness engenders metal, metal engenders acridity, acridity engenders the lung, the lung engenders skin and body hair, skin and body hair engender the kidney. The lung governs the nose. In heaven it is dryness, in earth it is metal, in the body it is skin and body hair, in the viscera it is the lung, in colour it is white, in note it is shang, in voice it is weeping, in movement it is coughing, in orifice it is the nose, in flavour it is acrid, in emotion it is anxiety. Anxiety damages the lung, joy conquers anxiety; heat damages skin and body hair, cold conquers heat; acridity damages skin and body hair, bitterness conquers acridity.
「肺生皮毛,皮毛生腎」——西方生燥一段,肺生皮毛而皮毛生腎;**「皮毛」本篇6見**
Suwen 70 Suwen 70 · 五常政大論 Read in context →
審平之紀,收而不爭,殺而無犯,五化宣明。其氣潔,其性剛,其用散落,其化堅斂,其類金,其政勁肅,其候清切,其令燥,其藏肺,肺其畏熱,其主鼻,其榖稻,其果桃,其實殻,其應秋,其蟲介,其畜雞,其色白,其養皮毛,其病欬,其味辛,其音商,其物外堅,其數九。 审平之纪,收而不争,杀而无犯,五化宣明。其气洁,其性刚,其用散落,其化坚敛,其类金,其政劲肃,其候清切,其令燥,其藏肺,肺其畏热,其主鼻,其谷稻,其果桃,其实壳,其应秋,其虫介,其畜鸡,其色白,其养皮毛,其病咳,其味辛,其音商,其物外坚,其数九。
Shěn píng zhī jì, shōu ér bù zhēng, shā ér wú fàn, wǔ huà xuān míng. Qí qì jié, qí xìng gāng, qí yòng sàn luò, qí huà jiān liǎn, qí lèi jīn, qí zhèng jìng sù, qí hòu qīng qiè, qí lìng zào, qí zàng fèi, fèi qí wèi rè, qí zhǔ bí, qí gǔ dào, qí guǒ táo, qí shí qiào, qí yìng qiū, qí chóng jiè, qí chù jī, qí sè bái, qí yǎng pí máo, qí bìng kài, qí wèi xīn, qí yīn shāng, qí wù wài jiān, qí shù jiǔ.
In the era of Even Judgement it gathers without contending and slays without offending, and the five transformations are displayed clearly. Its qi clean, its nature hard, its use scattering and dropping, its transformation firm gathering, its class metal, its governance strong and severe, its climate clear and sharp, its command dryness, its viscus the lung; the lung fears heat; it governs the nose; its grain rice, its fruit the peach, its kernel the husk, its answering autumn, its creature the shelled, its domestic animal the fowl, its colour white, its nourishment skin and body hair, its illness cough, its flavour acrid, its note shang, its thing hard without, its number nine.
**「皮毛」本篇1見,止在審平之紀「其養皮毛」**;**金主皮毛,故審平之紀其養皮毛**

Compounds built on this term

皮毛者,肺之合也
pí máo zhě, fèi zhī hé yě
the skin and hair are what the lung is paired with
本篇欬之第一層病位
肺之合
fèi zhī hé
the lung's exterior pairing
與篇末「治府者治其合」之合(合穴)同名異實
外内合邪
wài nèi hé xié
an evil without and an evil within joining
全篇病機之樞
毫毛
háo máo
the fine body hair
第三十三篇「其有不從毫毛而生」之毫毛,與此同類

How it has been translated

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

This siteskin and body hairliteral; 皮毛 is a fixed pairing in the Suwen and both halves carry weight
Unschuldskin and body hair'the skin and the body hair are the [external] correspondence of the lung'
Wisemanskin and [body] hairbrackets the second noun the same way, treating the pair as one unit

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2026-09

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