夫寸关尺者，脉之位也。浮沉滑涩者，脉之体也。奠位分体，指文语证者，诊脉
之要道也。《脉经》曰∶大凡诊候，两手三部，脉滑而迟，不浮不沉，不长不短，去
来齐等者，无病也。
寸口脉浮者，伤风也；紧者，伤寒也；弦者，伤食也；浮而缓者，中风也；浮而
数者，头痛也；浮而紧者，膈上寒，胁下饮冷也；沉而紧者，心下寒而积痛也；沉
而弱者，虚损也；缓而迟者，虚寒也；微弱者，血气俱虚也；弦者，头痛，心下有
水也；双弦者，两胁下痛也；偏绝者，不
遂也；HT HT 如羹上肥者，阳气微也；连连如蜘蛛丝者，阳气衰也。
关主中焦胸腹中事，去来徐而缓者，无病也。浮者，腹满而不欲食，胃虚胀也；滑
者，客热在内也；数者，热结中焦也；沉伏者，中焦水气，或呕逆而吞酸也；弱者，
胃气虚也，虽有虚热，不可大攻，须防热去则生寒也；牢而实者，腹满向向，噎塞
而不通，或腹大痛涩者，气逆也；芤则泻血，涩坚大实，按之不减而有力者，中焦
实有结伏在胃也；微浮者，积热不消，蛔动心悸也。
尺主下焦，腰肾膝胫足中事也。尺脉浮者，风热小便难也；沉者，腰背痛而神
气不足；数者，脐下热痛，小便赤色而恶寒也；迟者，下焦寒而阴虚也；紧者，脐
下小腹急痛也；缓者，脚弱下肿而痿痹也；弱者，下冷而肾气衰也；软者，脚不收而
风痹，小便难也；伏者，小腹痛而疝瘕，谷不化也；细者，溏泄而下冷也；芤者，小
便涩血而下虚也；牢而小者，足膝寒痹，脚下隐隐疼痛也；细而急者，筋挛不能行也；
来而断绝者，男子小腹有滞气也，妇人月水不利也。
寸、关、尺三部，是脉象在手腕部的定位。浮、沉、滑、涩等特征，是脉象的形态表现。确定脉位、分辨脉体，通过指下的感觉来推断病证，这是诊察脉象的关键途径。《脉经》说：大凡诊察脉候，两手共三部脉，如果脉象滑利而迟缓，不浮不沉，不长不短，来去节奏均匀一致的，表示没有疾病。
寸口脉（腕部桡动脉近手腕处）若见浮脉，是伤风之证；见紧脉，是伤寒之证；见弦脉，是伤食之证；见浮而缓的脉象，是中风的证候；见浮而数的脉象，是头痛之证；见浮而紧的脉象，是膈上有寒邪，胁下有停饮且性质偏冷的证候；见沉而紧的脉象，是心下部有寒邪且有积滞疼痛；见沉而弱的脉象，是虚损之证；见缓而迟的脉象，是虚寒之证；脉象微弱，是气血俱虚之证；见弦脉，可能是头痛，也可能是心下部有水饮停留；双弦脉（两手均见弦脉），是两胁下疼痛之证；脉象偏绝（一侧脉搏消失或极弱），是肢体半身不遂之证；脉象如羹汤表面漂浮的油花般轻浮无力，是阳气微弱的表现；脉象连绵不断但细如蜘蛛丝，是阳气衰败的表现。
关脉主要反映中焦胸腹中的情况。脉来徐缓柔和的，表示没有疾病。见浮脉，是腹部胀满且不想进食，属于胃气虚弱导致的胀满；见滑脉，是有客热邪气停留在体内；见数脉，是热邪结聚在中焦；见沉伏脉，是中焦有水气停滞，或者出现呕吐逆气及吞酸的症状；见弱脉，是胃气虚弱，虽然可能有虚热，但不可用猛药攻伐，必须防止热邪去除后反而产生寒证；见牢实脉（沉按坚实有力），是腹部胀满不适，噎塞不通，或者腹部剧烈疼痛且伴有涩感，这是气机逆乱所致；见芤脉（中空如葱管），是便血之证；脉象涩而坚大实，按压时不减且有力，是中焦胃中有实邪结聚伏留；脉象微浮，是积热不能消散，蛔虫扰动导致心悸。
尺脉主要反映下焦腰、肾、膝、胫、足等部位的情况。尺脉见浮，是风热导致小便困难；见沉，是腰背疼痛且神气不足；见数，是脐下热痛，小便颜色赤红且伴有恶寒；见迟，是下焦有寒且阴液亏虚；见紧，是脐下小腹拘急疼痛；见缓，是下肢软弱、下部浮肿以及痿痹之证；见弱，是下部寒冷且肾气衰败；见软脉，是脚部无力收持且患风痹，小便困难；见伏脉（重按至骨始得），是小腹疼痛且有疝气瘕块，食物不消化；见细脉，是大便溏泄且下部寒冷；见芤脉，是小便涩痛带血且下部虚损；见牢而小的脉象，是足膝寒冷痹痛，脚下隐隐作痛；见细而急的脉象，是筋脉挛缩导致无法行走；脉来中断断续续者，男子是小腹有滞气，妇女是月经不畅。
Cun, Guan, and Chi are the positions of the pulse. Floating (Fu), Deep (Chen), Slippery (Hua), and Choppy (Se) are the characteristics of the pulse. Establishing the position and distinguishing the characteristics, using finger sensations to infer pathological conditions, is the essential method for pulse diagnosis. The *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic) states: Generally speaking, when diagnosing the pulse, if the pulses in the three positions of both hands are slippery yet slow, neither floating nor deep, neither long nor short, and regular in their coming and going, it indicates the absence of disease.
If the Cun Kou (Inch Port, radial artery at the wrist) pulse is Floating (Fu), it indicates Wind Injury; Tight (Jin), Cold Damage; Wiry (Xian), Food Stagnation; Floating and Slow (Huan), Wind Stroke; Floating and Rapid (Shu), Headache; Floating and Tight, Cold above the diaphragm and cold fluid retention below the costal region; Deep and Tight, Cold in the epigastrium with accumulated pain; Deep and Weak, Deficiency and Damage; Slow and Delayed, Deficient Cold; Minute and Weak, Deficiency of both Qi and Blood; Wiry, it may indicate headache or water retention in the epigastrium; Double Wiry, pain below both hypochondria; Unilateral Absence, hemiplegia; Pulse resembling fat floating on soup surface indicates slight Yang Qi; Pulse continuous but thin as a spider's thread indicates declining Yang Qi.
The Guan position governs matters of the Middle Jiao (chest and abdomen). A pulse that comes slowly and gently indicates health. A Floating pulse indicates abdominal fullness and loss of appetite due to Spleen/Stomach deficiency causing distension; a Slippery pulse indicates exogenous heat residing internally; a Rapid pulse indicates heat accumulation in the Middle Jiao; a Deep and Hidden pulse indicates water qi in the Middle Jiao, or vomiting, regurgitation, and acid reflux; a Weak pulse indicates deficient Stomach Qi; although there may be deficient heat, strong purgatives must not be used, as removing the heat may lead to the generation of cold; a Firm and Solid pulse indicates abdominal fullness, dysphagia, obstruction, or severe abdominal pain with a choppy sensation, indicating rebellious Qi; a Knifelike (Kou) pulse indicates bleeding in the stool; a Choppy, hard, large, and solid pulse that does not diminish under pressure and is forceful indicates real pathogenic accumulation in the stomach; a slightly Floating pulse indicates unresolved accumulated heat and restless roundworms causing palpitations.
The Chi position governs matters of the Lower Jiao, including the waist, kidneys, knees, shins, and feet. A Floating Chi pulse indicates wind-heat causing difficult urination; a Deep Chi pulse indicates lower back pain and insufficiency of Shen Qi; a Rapid Chi pulse indicates heat and pain below the umbilicus, dark red urine, and aversion to cold; a Delayed Chi pulse indicates Lower Jiao cold and Yin deficiency; a Tight Chi pulse indicates acute pain in the lower abdomen below the umbilicus; a Slow/Relaxed Chi pulse indicates weak legs, edema below, and flaccid paralysis; a Weak Chi pulse indicates cold in the lower body and decline of Kidney Qi; a Soft Chi pulse indicates inability to support the feet, wind-bi syndrome, and difficult urination; a Hidden Chi pulse indicates lower abdominal pain, hernia, and masses, with undigested food in stool; a Thready Chi pulse indicates loose stools and cold in the lower body; a Knifelike Chi pulse indicates painful, bloody urination and lower body deficiency; a Firm and small Chi pulse indicates cold-bi in the feet and knees with dull pain in the soles; a Thready and rapid Chi pulse indicates tendon spasms preventing walking; an intermittent pulse indicates stagnant Qi in the lower abdomen of men, and irregular menstruation in women.