Stomach Dilation in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Soggy (Ru), Slowed-down (Huan), Slippery (Hua), Deep (Chen)

The tongue is characteristically pale and swollen, often appearing puffy and tender, with clear teeth marks indented along both edges. The coating is white and greasy (or thick and greasy in more pronounced cases), reflecting the accumulation of Dampness in the Middle Burner. The tongue surface is typically moist or even excessively wet. In some cases, the coating may be slightly slippery. If the Dampness is particularly heavy, the coating may appear thick and white across the entire tongue body, sometimes most prominent in the centre (corresponding to the Spleen and Stomach area).

Slippery (Hua), Weak (Ruo), Slowed-down (Huan), Soggy (Ru)

The tongue body is pale and often puffy or swollen, with teeth marks along the edges indicating that the body's Qi is too weak to maintain firm muscle tone. The coating is characteristically white, thick, and greasy or sticky, reflecting the accumulation of Phlegm and Dampness in the middle burner. The tongue surface may appear excessively moist or wet. In some cases the coating is thickest in the centre of the tongue, which corresponds to the Stomach and Spleen region. The pale colour reflects Qi deficiency rather than Blood deficiency or Cold, though in prolonged cases a slightly duller hue may develop.

Slippery (Hua), Deep (Chen), Slow (Chi), Wiry (Xian)

The tongue is characteristically pale and swollen, often with teeth marks along the edges from pressing against the teeth, indicating fluid accumulation. The coating is notably thick, white, and greasy, particularly at the root (back portion) of the tongue, which corresponds to the Lower Burner. The entire tongue surface tends to appear wet or slippery. In some cases the coating may extend thicker toward the centre and rear while being thinner at the front, reflecting that the pathological material is concentrated in the lower and middle parts of the body.

Slippery (Hua), Wiry (Xian)

The classic Phlegm tongue is swollen and pale with tooth marks along the edges, reflecting the Spleen's inability to properly manage fluids. The coating is the most diagnostic feature: it is characteristically white, thick, and greasy or sticky, indicating the presence of turbid Phlegm and Dampness. The tongue body is typically moist to wet. If Phlegm begins to transform with Heat, the coating may turn yellowish and greasy, but in the base pattern the coating remains white. The tongue body itself is not red or purple, distinguishing this from Phlegm-Heat or Phlegm with Blood Stasis transformations.