ne of the more frustrating problems Chinese medicine folks have in the English speaking world is getting past translations of pulse terms to arrive at less ambiguous descriptions of these different pulses.
Pulse translations problems:
Translations needs vary:
Poetic pulse descriptions don’t help too much, although they’re fun. Let’s see if you can guess which pulses are being described in the samples below. Mouseover the word “answer” for the answer, you don’t have to click, just move your little pointer over the word “answer” and it should magically appear.
Pulse translations problems:
- Names of pulses are inconsistent between books.
- Translation needs vary.
- Poetic Chinese explanations provide little help.
| Pinyin | Maciocia | CAM | Wiseman | Eastland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Se | choppy | hesitant | rough | choppy |
 | Ruo | weak | weak | weak | frail |
 | Ru | weak-floating | soft | soggy | soggy |
- Denotative or literal translations:
ru = soggy (also translates to “immerse” or “moisten”) - Connotative or implied translations:
ru = soft. What the early diagnosticians may have been trying to describe is a feeling that the pulse is soft, not hard. - Functional translations:
ru = weak-floating. I believe that these are the most useful translations for the needs of English speaking practitioners. It describes the simple parameters that make up a complex pulse. This pulse is weak and floating. Now weak and floating I can figure out. Soggy? I have no idea how that is going to feel.
Poetic pulse descriptions don’t help too much, although they’re fun. Let’s see if you can guess which pulses are being described in the samples below. Mouseover the word “answer” for the answer, you don’t have to click, just move your little pointer over the word “answer” and it should magically appear.
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