The pulse is made up of the site (deep, shallow), rate (fast, slow), intensity (strong, weak), rhythm (neat or not, with or without interruption), and form of the arterial pulsation. The pulse is an important basis for diagnosis in Chinese medicine and is clinically important for distinguishing the cause of disease, inferring changes in disease, identifying the truth of the condition, and judging the prognosis of the disease.

In addition, the pulse is very closely related to the internal and external environment. Due to factors such as climate, age, gender, physique, rest, and mental state, certain physiological changes can occur. For example, throughout the year, the pulse changes from spring, summer, autumn to winter; the younger the age, the faster the pulse; infants have a rapid pulse, young adults have a strong pulse, the elderly have a slightly stringent pulse, women have a weaker and slightly faster pulse than men; fat people have a slightly sinking pulse, thin people have a slightly floating pulse; after exertion, when drinking, eating or emotionally excited, the pulse is faster and stronger when hungry the pulse is weaker; mental workers have a weaker pulse than physical workers, etc. All these should be distinguished from the pulse.