Introduction of the tongue diagnosis terms and Classical Tongue Manifestations.
Introduction
✵The Tongue manifestations is a part of the tongue diagnosis, diagnosis according to information obtained by inspection of the tongue.
The inspection of the tongue is one of the most important contents of examinations for diagnosis, in which the tongue proper and its coating are carefully observed.
Basic introduction of the tongue diagnosis terms
Basic introduction of the tongue diagnosis terms:
✵Tongue diagnosis:diagnosis made according to information obtained by inspection of the tongue.
✵Partition of the tongue:the tongue is usually divided into the following parts,i.e., the tip, middle, root and borders, revealing pathologic changes of the heart and lung, the spleen and stomach, the kidney, and the liver and gallbladder, respectively.
✵Tip of the tongue:often reflecting the condition of the heart and lung.
✵Borders of the tongue:often reflecting the condition of the liver and gall-bladder.
✵Middle part of the tongue:often reflecting the condition of the spleen and stomach.
✵Root of the tongue:often reflecting the condition of the kidney.Also known as base of the tongue.
✵Tongue proper:also known as tongue body, the muscular and vascular structures of the tongue.
✵Sublingual vein:the vein under the tongue on either side of the frenulum.
✵Tongue color:color of the tongue body, which reflects the condition of Qi and blood and functional state of the Zang-fu viscera.
✵Pale-red tongue:tongue of normal color.
✵Pale tongue:seen in cases of Qi and blood deficiency or yang deficiency.
✵Red tongue:tongue redder than normal, indicating presence of heat.
✵Deep-red tongue:a sign of intense heat, also known as deep-redness of the tongue.
✵Purple tongue:a sign indicating impaired circulation of Qi and blood.
✵Blue tongue:a sign indicating congealing cold with blood stasis.
✵Cyanosis of the tongue:bluish purple discoloration of the tongue due to blood stasis, penetration of toxic heat into nutrient-blood, or Qi stagnation with sluggish blood flow.
✵Tongue with purple spots:a sign of blood stasis.
✵Tongue with ecchymosis:a sign of blood stasis.
✵Thin tongue:a tongue which is thinner than normal, usually due to deficiency of Qi and blood if the tongue is thin and pale, and due to yin deficiency if it is thin and red.
✵Enlarged tongue:a tongue larger than normal due to accumulation of fluid, often seen in deficiency of Qi or yang.
✵Plump tongue:a synonym for enlarged tongue.
✵Plump tongue body:a synonym for enlarged tongue.
✵Swollen tongue:a reddened tongue distended and larger than normal, often caused by exuberant fire of the heart and spleen or externally contracted damp-heat, but sometimes by congenital vascular anomaly.
✵Tooth-marked tongue:a tongue with dental identation on its edges, seen in cases of retention of water-damp when the tongue is enlarged as well.Also known as tongue with tooth-marks.
✵Speckled tongue:a tongue with red spots formed by swollen fungiform papillae, indicating the presence of exuberant heat.
✵Prickles on the tongue:thorn-like protruding swollen fungiform papillae formed on the surface of the tongue.
✵Prickled tongue:a tongue with thorn-like protrusion on its surface, indicating the presence of exuberant heat.
✵Cracked tongue:a tongue with cracks on its surface, often indicating consumtion of fluids or yin.
✵Fissured tongue:appearance of fissures on the surface of the tongue,cf. cracked tongue.
✵Swelling of the tongue:abnormal enlargement of the tongue,usually reddened in color,cf.swollen tongue.
✵Double tongue:hypertrophy of the bilateral sublingual glands resembling a smaller tongue lying under the original one.
✵Stiff tongue:a tongue difficult to move freely, seen in cases of high fever with impairment of consciousness or loss of fluid, and also in cases of apoplexy, also known as stiffness of the tongue.
✵Sluggish tongue:a curling tongue, sluggish in motion with difficulty in speaking.
✵Trembling tongue:a sign of wind caused by deficiency of Qi and blood, stirred up by extreme heat, or transformed from liver yang, also known as tremor of the tongue.
✵Tremor of the tongue:a synonym for trembling tongue.
✵Flaccid tongue:a tongue that is flabby and cannot move easily, seen in impairment of yin, or deficiency of Qi and blood.
✵Flaccidity of the tongue:a synonym for flaccid tongue.
✵Deviated tongue:a tongue that deviates to one side when extended, indicating the presence of liver wind with phlegm or obstruction of the meridian by phlegm and stagnant blood.
✵Deviation of the tongue:a synonym for deviated tongue.
✵Shortened tongue:a tongue that cannot be fully extended from the mouth and appears to be contracted, usually seen in critically ill patients.
✵Curled tongue and retracted testicles:a sign that may occur in a critical case of febrile disease or apoplexy.
✵Wooden tongue:a swollen, hard tongue resembling a piece of wood, seen in infantile glossitis.
✵Protruding tongue:tongue that extends out of the mouth, with licking of the lips.
✵Moving tongue:one which moves from one side to the other when extended, or moves without stopping.
✵Protruding and moving tongue:a sign seen in children with defective development of the brain, also in febrile diseases with stirring-up of wind.
✵Tongue coating:a layer of moss-like material covering the tongue, inspection of which can provide information about the nature, depth and location of the pathogenic factor, the strength and integrity of normal Qi, and the degree of fluid consumption.
✵Tongue coating color:the color of the tongue coating, which reflects not only the heat or cold nature of the condition, but also the interior or exterior characteristics and the degree of penetration of the disease.
✵White coating:a sign indicating presence of cold, but thin white coating often seen in normal persons.
✵Yellow coating:a sign indicating presence of heat.
✵Thin white coating:a form of tongue coating often seen in normal persons or in the early stage of an exterior syndrome.
✵Thin yellow coating:a form of tongue coating often seen in cases of exterior heat syndrome or early stage of interior heat.
✵White geasy coating:a form of tongue coating indicating damp-phlegm or retained food.
✵Yellow geasy coating:a form of tongue coating indicating accumulation of damp-heat, phlegm-heat or retained food with heat.
✵Black coating:a tongue coating indicating either excessive cold(if the coating is moistened and the tongue body pale), or extreme heat(if the coating is dry and the tongue body reddened).
✵Gray coating:a tongue coating with similar clinical significance to black coating.
✵Stained coating:often caused by food or medicine.
✵Thickness of the tongue coating:a thin coating usually indicates absence of severe illness or only the exterior portion of the body being attacked by pathogenic factors, while a thick coating suggests inward penetration of pathogenic factors or presence of retained food or phlegm.
✵Moisture of the tongue coating:a moist coating indicates that the body fluid is not impaired, while a dry coating is a sign of impairment of body fluid.
✵Curdy coating:a coating consisting of coarse granules like bean dregs, capable of being wiped off, reflecting retention of food in the stomach.
✵Greasy coating:a dense, sticky, slimy tongue coating, thick in the center, thin on the sides, and hard to wipe off, indicating presence of phlegm-damp or stagnancy of food.
✵Slippery coating:a moist tongue coating with excessive fluid and an oily appearance, indicating presence of dampness.
✵Dry coating:a sign generally indicative of damage to the body fluids.
✵Rough coating:a tongue coating that is so dry that it looks rough, indicating severe damage to the body fluids.
✵White sandy coating:white, thick and dry tongue coating as rough as sand, indicating rapid transformation of heat into dryness with severe impairment of body fluids before the coating turns yellow.
✵Peeled coating:a tongue with its coating peeled off.
✵Peeling of tongue coating:complete or partial peeling of the tongue coating, usually due to impairment of stomach Qi, consumption of stomach Yin, deficiency of Qi and blood, or general debility.
✵Sudden peeling of coating:a tongue with its coating suddenly peeled, usually indicative of exhaustion of stomach yin and severe damage to stomach Qi.
✵Mirror-like tongue:a completely peeled tongue resembling a mirror, indicating collapse of stomach Qi or exhaustion of stomach yin.
✵Rooted coating:tongue coating with root, closely attached to the tongue surface.
✵Rootless coating:tongue coating without root,which can be easily wiped or scraped off.
✵Cracked lips:a sign of impairment of body fluids by dryness-heat or yin deficiency.
✵Dripping from the corner of the mouth:excessive flow of saliva from the corner of the mouth, often due to spleen dampness or stomach heat in children, or appearing in stroke patients with a wry mouth.
✵Erosion of lips:a sign of upward steaming of accumulated heat in the spleen and stomach.
✵Opened mouth:one that is puckered open, like the mouth of a fish, indicating failure of the spleen.
✵Lockjaw:inability to open the mouth, mainly caused by liver wind, seen in cases of convulsive diseases and tenaus.
✵Tightening of the lips:a sign of infantile convulsion.
✵Trembling of the lips:a sign of violent struggle between normal and pathogenic Qi.
✵Moving mouth:one that opens and closes frequently and involuntarily, signifying weakness of stomach Qi.
✵Purple lips:a sign of blood stasis in patients with decline of heart yang and severe dyspnea.
✵Tongue with red spots: there are red spots, or thorn-like protruding swollen fungiform papillae on the tongue surface, or spread on the Tip of the tongue, or spread on the Middle part of the tongue, or spread on the Borders of the tongue.
✵Cracked tongue: a tongue with cracks on its surface, normally there is no coating in the region of the crack, this tongue manifestation is often indicating consumption of fluids or yin.
✵Tooth-marked tongue: a tongue with dental identation on its edges, the tongue proper(tongue substance) white, the tongue coating white, this tongue manifestation is often seen in cases of retention of water-damp when the tongue is enlarged as well. Also known as tongue with tooth-marks.
✵Pale tongue: the tongue proper(tongue substance) color pale or light and fat tender, or the tongue proper(tongue substance) pale or light and thin small. This tongue manifestation is often seen in cases of Qi and blood deficiency or yang deficiency.
✵Red tongue: tongue redder than normal, red on the tip of the tongue and prickled(thorn-like protrusion on its surface), or red tongue color, tongue coating yellow and dry, or tongue body red with less coating or no coating, the red tongue manifestation normally indicating the presence of heat.
✵Deep-red tongue: the tongue color red to deep-red, the tongue body dry, prickled(thorn-like protrusion on its surface) or cracked; or tongue color deep-red without coating and slippery. The deep-red tongue manifestation normally is a sign of intense heat, also known as deep-redness of the tongue.
✵Purple tongue: the tongue color purple or bluish-purple, or the tongue color purple and purple-red. The purple tongue manifestation normally is a sign indicating impaired circulation of Qi and blood.
✵Enlarged Tongue: the tongue body(tongue proper) looks enlarged(fat and big) than normal, normally due to the accumulation of fluid, often seen in deficiency of Qi or yang. Attention to observe the color of the tongue, tongue coating and whether there are red spots on the tongue, tongue coating yellow, or tongue body enlarged swelling and the color dark to purple.
✵Enlarged Pale Tongue: the tongue body(tongue proper) looks enlarged(fat and big) than normal, the tongue color pale, the Enlarged Pale Tongue manifestation is often seen in deficiency of Yang with dampness or water retention.
✵Thin Red Tongue: the tongue color red, the tongue body thin. The Thin Red Tongue manifestation is often seen in conditions with heat and inflammation.
✵Thin Pale tongue: the tongue proper(tongue substance) color pale or light and thin, or with obvious tongue coating. This thin pale tongue manifestation is often seen in cases of physical weakness.
✵Tough tongue: the tongue coating color yellow-white, gray-black, is the main feature of the tough tongue. The tough tongue manifestation is often seen in the condition of excess syndrome or heat syndrome.
✵Tender Tongue: the tongue body is tender. The tender tongue manifestation is often seen in the condition of deficiency syndrome, cold syndrome, dampness syndrome. Often observed in those whose Zang-viscera function weak, metabolism function weak, resistance weak, or body constitution weak and others with sub-health conditions.
✵Thin Tongue Coating: a form of tongue coating often seen in normal persons or in the early stage of an exterior syndrome. The tongue coating thin and white, the tongue body light red is a normal and health manifestation. The Thin Yellow Tongue Coating is often seen in the initial stage of febrile disease.
✵Thick Tongue Coating: the tongue body color red or light red, tongue coating thick, often observed the tongue body(tongue proper) color red, tongue coating yellow, tongue thick and dryness, or observed tongue body color light red, tongue coating thick, white greasy.
✵Dry Tongue Coating: the tongue coating dry and the color white, or the tongue coating dry and color yellow, or the tongue coating dry and color black. The dry tongue coating manifestation is a sign generally indicative of damage to the body fluids.
✵Rough Tongue Coating: a tongue coating that is so dry that it looks rough, indicating severe damage to the body fluids. The rough tongue coating manifestation is often seen in chronic syndromes.
✵Slippery Tongue Coating: a moist tongue coating with excessive fluid and an oily appearance, indicating the presence of dampness. The slippery tongue coating manifestation is often observed in the condition of deficiency syndrome, cold syndrome.
✵Greasy Tongue Coating: a dense, sticky, slimy tongue coating, thick in the center, thin on the sides, and hard to wipe off, indicating the presence of phlegm-damp or stagnancy of food. Normally observed the tongue coating color white, sticky on the surface of the tongue; or the tongue coating color yellow; or the tongue coating is greasy.
✵Curdy Tongue Coating: a coating consisting of coarse granules like bean dregs, capable of being wiped off, reflecting retention of food in the stomach. Curdy Tongue Coating is often observed in the condition of heat syndrome.
✵White Tongue Coating: a sign indicating the presence of cold, but thin white coating often seen in normal persons. The tongue coating thin and white is the normal tongue coating or initial stage manifestation of the exterior syndrome. Often observed tongue coating thin white and moistening, or tongue coating thin white and greasy. According to the moistening degree, thickness, they could be classified into Thin White Tongue Coating, White Slippery Tongue Coating, White Dry Tongue Coating, White Retention Pink Tongue Coating, etc.
✵Yellow Tongue Coating: the tongue coating color is yellow, a sign indicating the presence of heat. Often observed thin yellow tongue coating, or yellow tongue coating, or yellow greasy tongue coating. The Yellow Tongue Coating is a manifestation of stomach and spleen syndromes, interior syndrome, and heat syndrome.
✵Gray Tongue Coating: the tongue coating color gray, or gray-white, or gray-yellow, a tongue coating with similar clinical significance to black coating. The gray tongue coating is a manifestation of interior heat and exhaustion of body fluid.
✵Black Tongue Coating: the tongue coating color black, a tongue coating indicating either excessive cold(if the coating is moistened and the tongue body pale), or extreme heat(if the coating is dry and the tongue body reddened). The Black Tongue Coating is a manifestation of the chronic syndrome.
Classical Tongue Manifestations of Qi Deficiency type Body Constitution
✵01.Tongue Pale and Enlarged, with purple spots: Tongue Proper:dark pale and enlarged.
Tongue Coating:thin tongue coating.
Tongue Surface:there are obvious purple spots at the front part of the tongue surface.
✵02.Tongue Dark Pale,Thin Greasy Tongue Coating: Tongue Color:dark red or deep-red.
Tongue Coating:thin and greasy tongue coating.
Tongue Surface:the tongue surface is moistening.
✵03.Enlarged Tender Tongue, as surface of mirror: Tongue Color:red.
Tongue Proper:tongue proper is tender.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is enlarged(big and fat).
✵04.Tongue Dark Pale,with Purple Spots: Tongue Proper:dark and pale.
Tongue Coating:less and thin white.
Tongue Body:red on the tip of the tongue, with slight purple spots.
✵05.Pale Enlarged Tongue, Tongue coating white: Tongue coating:the tongue coating is white.
Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is tender.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is enlarged(big and fat).
✵06.Pale Enlarged Tongue,with tooth-mark: Tongue Proper:pale.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is white.
Tongue Body:enlarged(fat and big), with tooth-marks at edges.
✵07.Pale Red Tongue,with purple spots: Tip of the Tongue:with scattered purple spots.
Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is pale red.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is slight enlarged(slight fat and big).
✵08.Pale Red Tongue,tongue coating thin and white: Tongue Proper:pale and red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is thin and white.
Tongue Body:tongue body is thin.
✵09.Pale White Tongue,tender tongue: Tongue color:pale and white.
Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is tender.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thin.
✵10.Pale Thin Tongue,tongue coating white: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is pale.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is white.
Tongue Body:tongue body is slight thin.
✵11.Pale Red Tongue,tongue coating thin and white: Tongue surface:the tongue surface is moistening.
Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is pale red.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thin and white.
✵12.Deep Red Tongue,tongue coating yellow greasy: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is dark red or deep-red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is yellow and greasy.
Tongue Body:tongue body is with tooth-marks at edges.
✵13.Thin Small Tongue,tongue coating thin and greasy: Tongue surface:the tongue surface has more fluid.
Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is thin and small.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thin and greasy.
✵14.Deep Red Tongue,enlarged tongue: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is dark red or deep-red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is thin and white, slightly dry.
Tongue Body:tongue body is with tooth-marks at both-side edges.
✵15.Dark Pale Tongue,tongue coating yellow and greasy: Tongue body:the tongue body with tooth-marks at both side edges.
Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is dark and pale.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is yellow and greasy.
✵16.Pale Red Tongue,coating thin white greasy: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is pale red.
Tongue Surface:tongue surface with cracks on its surface.
Tongue Body:tongue body is enlarged(big and fat).
✵17.Enlarged Tongue,tongue coating thin and white: Tongue body:the tongue body is enlarged(big and fat).
Tongue surface:the tongue surface is with obvious tooth-marks at both sides edges.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thin and white.
Classical Tongue Manifestations of Yang Deficiency type Body Constitution
✵01.Enlarged Tender Tongue,Pale White: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is pale and white.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is enlarged(big and fat) and tender.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is white.
✵02.Pale Enlarged Tongue,with tooth-marks: Tongue Color:pale.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is white.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is enlarged(big and fat),with tooth-marks at both sides edges.
✵03.Pale Tongue,with white greasy coating: Tongue Color:the tongue color is pale.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is enlarged(big and fat).
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is white and greasy.
✵04.Pale Enlarged Tongue,tongue coating pale white: Tongue Color:pale.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is white.
Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is enlarged(big and fat).
Tongue Body:the tongue body is tender.
✵05.Enlarged Tender Tongue,with thin and white coating: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is tender.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is soft, the tongue surface is clean and moistening.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thin and white.
Classical Tongue Manifestations of Yin Deficiency type Body Constitution
✵01.Cracked Tongue,Flour Dry coating: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is cracked, with cracks on its surface.
Tongue Color:the tongue color is red.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is yellow, slight thick and dry.
✵02.Thin Red Tongue,coating thin and white: Tongue Proper:dark red or deep red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is thin and white, slightly dry.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is with tooth-marks at both sides edges.
✵03.Tongue Proper Red,less tongue coating: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is red.
Tongue Body:the lingual papilla is obvious.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is less.
✵04.Cracked Tongue,tongue coating less: Tongue Proper:tongue proper is tender,color pale.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is less.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is enlarged(big and fat).
Tongue Surface:with cracks on its surface
✵05.Tongue Deep Red,tongue coating thin yellow and greasy: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is deep red.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is enlarged(fat and big).
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thin, yellow and greasy.
✵06.Fresh Red Tongue,coating less: Tongue Proper:tongue proper is fresh red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is less.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is thin.
✵07.Cracked Tongue,deep-red tongue: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is deep-red.
Tongue Surface:with cracks on its surface.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is less.
✵08.Pale Red Tongue,mirror-like tongue: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is dark red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is thin and white, slightly dry.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is with tooth-marks at both sides edges.
✵09.Cracked Tongue,tongue coating white and greasy: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is deep red.
Tongue Body:with cracks on its surface, tooth-marks at both sides edges.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is white and greasy, thick.
✵10.Map Tongue,tongue proper red: Tongue Proper:dark red or deep red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating feel off as map.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is thin.
Tongue Surface:with purple spots on its surface.
✵11.Tongue Proper Red,tongue coating thin and yellow: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is red.
Tongue Color:the tongue color is deep at both sides and middle part.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thin and yellow.
✵12.Tongue Proper Red,mirror-like tongue: Tongue Proper:tongue proper is red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is dry,with cracks on its surface,slippery and less coating.
✵13.Thin Red Tongue,tongue coating yellow greasy: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is deep red.
Tongue Body:the tongue body is thin and small.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is yellow greasy and dry.
✵14.Cracked Tongue,coating yellow and greasy: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is less or no coating.
Tongue Surface:with thin and small cracks on its surface.
✵15.Pale Red Tongue,tongue coating thin and white: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is pale red.
Tongue Body:with cracks on its surface.
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thick and white greasy at middle and back part.
✵16.Red Tongue,rough coating: Tongue Proper:tongue proper is red.
Tongue Coating:tongue coating is dry and looks rough,thick greasy and white.
Tongue Surface:with a deep cracks on its surface,with tooth-marks at both sides edges.
✵17.Deep Red Tongue,coating thin: Tongue Proper:the tongue proper is slightly dry.
Tongue Color:the tongue color is deep red
Tongue Coating:the tongue coating is thin.
References:
Introduction of the tongue diagnosis terms and Classical Tongue Manifestations.
✵The Tongue manifestations is a part of the tongue diagnosis, diagnosis according to information obtained by inspection of the tongue.
Basic introduction of the tongue diagnosis terms:
✵Tongue with red spots: there are red spots, or thorn-like protruding swollen fungiform papillae on the tongue surface, or spread on the Tip of the tongue, or spread on the Middle part of the tongue, or spread on the Borders of the tongue.
✵Cracked tongue: a tongue with cracks on its surface, normally there is no coating in the region of the crack, this tongue manifestation is often indicating consumption of fluids or yin.
✵Tooth-marked tongue: a tongue with dental identation on its edges, the tongue proper(tongue substance) white, the tongue coating white, this tongue manifestation is often seen in cases of retention of water-damp when the tongue is enlarged as well. Also known as tongue with tooth-marks.
✵Pale tongue: the tongue proper(tongue substance) color pale or light and fat tender, or the tongue proper(tongue substance) pale or light and thin small. This tongue manifestation is often seen in cases of Qi and blood deficiency or yang deficiency.
✵Red tongue: tongue redder than normal, red on the tip of the tongue and prickled(thorn-like protrusion on its surface), or red tongue color, tongue coating yellow and dry, or tongue body red with less coating or no coating, the red tongue manifestation normally indicating the presence of heat.
✵Deep-red tongue: the tongue color red to deep-red, the tongue body dry, prickled(thorn-like protrusion on its surface) or cracked; or tongue color deep-red without coating and slippery. The deep-red tongue manifestation normally is a sign of intense heat, also known as deep-redness of the tongue.
✵Purple tongue: the tongue color purple or bluish-purple, or the tongue color purple and purple-red. The purple tongue manifestation normally is a sign indicating impaired circulation of Qi and blood.
✵Enlarged Tongue: the tongue body(tongue proper) looks enlarged(fat and big) than normal, normally due to the accumulation of fluid, often seen in deficiency of Qi or yang. Attention to observe the color of the tongue, tongue coating and whether there are red spots on the tongue, tongue coating yellow, or tongue body enlarged swelling and the color dark to purple.
✵Enlarged Pale Tongue: the tongue body(tongue proper) looks enlarged(fat and big) than normal, the tongue color pale, the Enlarged Pale Tongue manifestation is often seen in deficiency of Yang with dampness or water retention.
✵Thin Red Tongue: the tongue color red, the tongue body thin. The Thin Red Tongue manifestation is often seen in conditions with heat and inflammation.
✵Thin Pale tongue: the tongue proper(tongue substance) color pale or light and thin, or with obvious tongue coating. This thin pale tongue manifestation is often seen in cases of physical weakness.
✵Tough tongue: the tongue coating color yellow-white, gray-black, is the main feature of the tough tongue. The tough tongue manifestation is often seen in the condition of excess syndrome or heat syndrome.
✵Tender Tongue: the tongue body is tender. The tender tongue manifestation is often seen in the condition of deficiency syndrome, cold syndrome, dampness syndrome. Often observed in those whose Zang-viscera function weak, metabolism function weak, resistance weak, or body constitution weak and others with sub-health conditions.
✵Thin Tongue Coating: a form of tongue coating often seen in normal persons or in the early stage of an exterior syndrome. The tongue coating thin and white, the tongue body light red is a normal and health manifestation. The Thin Yellow Tongue Coating is often seen in the initial stage of febrile disease.
✵Thick Tongue Coating: the tongue body color red or light red, tongue coating thick, often observed the tongue body(tongue proper) color red, tongue coating yellow, tongue thick and dryness, or observed tongue body color light red, tongue coating thick, white greasy.
✵Dry Tongue Coating: the tongue coating dry and the color white, or the tongue coating dry and color yellow, or the tongue coating dry and color black. The dry tongue coating manifestation is a sign generally indicative of damage to the body fluids.
✵Rough Tongue Coating: a tongue coating that is so dry that it looks rough, indicating severe damage to the body fluids. The rough tongue coating manifestation is often seen in chronic syndromes.
✵Slippery Tongue Coating: a moist tongue coating with excessive fluid and an oily appearance, indicating the presence of dampness. The slippery tongue coating manifestation is often observed in the condition of deficiency syndrome, cold syndrome.
✵Greasy Tongue Coating: a dense, sticky, slimy tongue coating, thick in the center, thin on the sides, and hard to wipe off, indicating the presence of phlegm-damp or stagnancy of food. Normally observed the tongue coating color white, sticky on the surface of the tongue; or the tongue coating color yellow; or the tongue coating is greasy.
✵Curdy Tongue Coating: a coating consisting of coarse granules like bean dregs, capable of being wiped off, reflecting retention of food in the stomach. Curdy Tongue Coating is often observed in the condition of heat syndrome.
✵White Tongue Coating: a sign indicating the presence of cold, but thin white coating often seen in normal persons. The tongue coating thin and white is the normal tongue coating or initial stage manifestation of the exterior syndrome. Often observed tongue coating thin white and moistening, or tongue coating thin white and greasy. According to the moistening degree, thickness, they could be classified into Thin White Tongue Coating, White Slippery Tongue Coating, White Dry Tongue Coating, White Retention Pink Tongue Coating, etc.
✵Yellow Tongue Coating: the tongue coating color is yellow, a sign indicating the presence of heat. Often observed thin yellow tongue coating, or yellow tongue coating, or yellow greasy tongue coating. The Yellow Tongue Coating is a manifestation of stomach and spleen syndromes, interior syndrome, and heat syndrome.
✵Gray Tongue Coating: the tongue coating color gray, or gray-white, or gray-yellow, a tongue coating with similar clinical significance to black coating. The gray tongue coating is a manifestation of interior heat and exhaustion of body fluid.
✵Black Tongue Coating: the tongue coating color black, a tongue coating indicating either excessive cold(if the coating is moistened and the tongue body pale), or extreme heat(if the coating is dry and the tongue body reddened). The Black Tongue Coating is a manifestation of the chronic syndrome.
✵01.Tongue Pale and Enlarged, with purple spots:
✵02.Tongue Dark Pale,Thin Greasy Tongue Coating:
✵03.Enlarged Tender Tongue, as surface of mirror:
✵04.Tongue Dark Pale,with Purple Spots:
✵05.Pale Enlarged Tongue, Tongue coating white:
✵06.Pale Enlarged Tongue,with tooth-mark:
✵07.Pale Red Tongue,with purple spots:
✵08.Pale Red Tongue,tongue coating thin and white:
✵09.Pale White Tongue,tender tongue:
✵10.Pale Thin Tongue,tongue coating white:
✵11.Pale Red Tongue,tongue coating thin and white:
✵12.Deep Red Tongue,tongue coating yellow greasy:
✵13.Thin Small Tongue,tongue coating thin and greasy:
✵14.Deep Red Tongue,enlarged tongue:
✵15.Dark Pale Tongue,tongue coating yellow and greasy:
✵16.Pale Red Tongue,coating thin white greasy:
✵17.Enlarged Tongue,tongue coating thin and white:
✵01.Enlarged Tender Tongue,Pale White:
✵02.Pale Enlarged Tongue,with tooth-marks:
✵03.Pale Tongue,with white greasy coating:
✵04.Pale Enlarged Tongue,tongue coating pale white:
✵05.Enlarged Tender Tongue,with thin and white coating:
✵01.Cracked Tongue,Flour Dry coating:
✵02.Thin Red Tongue,coating thin and white:
✵03.Tongue Proper Red,less tongue coating:
✵04.Cracked Tongue,tongue coating less:
✵05.Tongue Deep Red,tongue coating thin yellow and greasy:
✵06.Fresh Red Tongue,coating less:
✵07.Cracked Tongue,deep-red tongue:
✵08.Pale Red Tongue,mirror-like tongue:
✵09.Cracked Tongue,tongue coating white and greasy:
✵10.Map Tongue,tongue proper red:
✵11.Tongue Proper Red,tongue coating thin and yellow:
✵12.Tongue Proper Red,mirror-like tongue:
✵13.Thin Red Tongue,tongue coating yellow greasy:
✵14.Cracked Tongue,coating yellow and greasy:
✵15.Pale Red Tongue,tongue coating thin and white:
✵16.Red Tongue,rough coating:
✵17.Deep Red Tongue,coating thin:
