tcmplate.com
The 5 Body Types
in Traditional Chinese Medicine
A Quick Self-Assessment Guide
Discover which of the five foundational body constitutions you
lean toward—and what to eat to feel more balanced.
Free Guide · tcmplate.com · Version 1.0
What is a "body constitution"?
In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), your body constitution
(体质, tǐ zhì) is your personal
physical-and-energetic blueprint—like a metabolic fingerprint.
It shapes how you respond to food, weather, stress, and seasons.
This guide introduces the five most common patterns.
Read through each one and tick the signs that sound like you. The
pattern with the most ticks is your dominant type. Most people are
a blend of two.
This is not a medical diagnosis. It is a traditional
self-awareness tool. For health concerns, consult a qualified
practitioner.
🫁 Qi Deficiency (气虚质 · qì xū zhì)
Low Energy
Weak Digestion
Cool-natured
"Qi" (pronounced "chee") is your vital energy. When it's
deficient, your body's engine runs at low RPM. Think: a phone
battery that never reaches 100%.
Classical source
Huangdi Neijing (~200 BCE)
TCM principle
Tonify Spleen & Lung Qi
Check the signs that apply to you:
- I tire easily, even after light activity
- I often feel short of breath
- My voice is soft; I dislike talking for long periods
- I sweat spontaneously without much exertion
- I catch colds frequently
- My appetite is weak and digestion sluggish
✅ Eat more
Sweet potato, rice congee, oats, dates, chicken, mushrooms, carrot, yam, honey (moderate)
⚠️ Eat less
Raw salads, iced drinks, excessive wheat, greasy fried foods, very spicy dishes
🔥 Yang Deficiency (阳虚质 · yáng xū zhì)
Always Cold
Low Libido
Cold-natured
"Yang" is your body's warming, activating fire. When it's
low, you feel cold from the inside out—like a house with a
pilot light that keeps going out.
Classical source
Shanghan Lun by Zhang Zhongjing (~200 CE)
TCM principle
Warm & tonify Kidney Yang
Check the signs that apply to you:
- My hands and feet are often cold, even in warm weather
- I strongly prefer hot drinks and warm food
- I feel chilly in my lower back and knees
- I urinate frequently, especially at night
- I have low energy that improves after warming up
- My digestion gets worse with cold food
✅ Eat more
Ginger, cinnamon, lamb, walnuts, black pepper, fennel, garlic, leeks, shrimp, chestnuts
⚠️ Eat less
Ice cream, raw fruits on an empty stomach, cucumber, watermelon, cold smoothies
💧 Yin Deficiency (阴虚质 · yīn xū zhì)
Always Hot
Dryness
Heat signs
"Yin" is your body's cooling, moistening, nourishing
substance. When Yin runs low, internal heat rises—like an
engine running hot because the coolant is low.
Classical source
Jingui Yaolüe by Zhang Zhongjing (~210 CE)
TCM principle
Nourish Yin & clear deficiency heat
Check the signs that apply to you:
- My mouth and throat often feel dry
- My palms, soles, and chest feel warm at night (five-center heat)
- I wake up sweating during sleep (night sweats)
- My skin feels dry; I get constipated easily
- I feel restless or have trouble falling asleep
- Hot flashes or flushing sensations
✅ Eat more
Pear, tofu, black sesame, duck, spinach, lily bulb (bai he), snow fungus, goji berries, millet
⚠️ Eat less
Lamb, chili peppers, deep-fried foods, coffee (excess), alcohol, late-night eating
☁️ Phlegm-Dampness (痰湿质 · tán shī zhì)
Sluggish
Heavy
Damp-natured
"Dampness" and "Phlegm" are metabolic by-products
in TCM—think of them as internal humidity and sludge. This type
feels heavy and foggy, like walking through thick air.
Classical source
Bencao Gangmu by Li Shizhen (1578 CE)
TCM principle
Strengthen Spleen & transform dampness
Check the signs that apply to you:
- I carry extra weight, especially around the middle
- My face and scalp tend to be oily
- I often feel heavy, sluggish, and mentally foggy
- I have a lot of phlegm or mucus
- My tongue has a thick, greasy coating
- I retain fluid easily (swollen fingers/ankles)
✅ Eat more
Barley (job's tears / yi mi), adzuki beans, corn silk tea, daikon radish, winter melon, celery, lotus root
⚠️ Eat less
Dairy, sugar, deep-fried foods, heavy/rich sauces, excessive cold drinks, late-night snacking
🩸 Blood Stasis (血瘀质 · xuè yū zhì)
Poor Circulation
Pain
Fixed-location
"Blood Stasis" describes sluggish or obstructed blood
flow—like traffic that has come to a standstill. It often
shows up as fixed-location pain and dark/purple skin signs.
Classical source
Yilin Gaicuo by Wang Qingren (1830 CE)
TCM principle
Invigorate blood & remove stasis
Check the signs that apply to you:
- I bruise easily and the marks take long to fade
- My skin tone is dull or has dark patches
- I have sharp, fixed-location pain (headaches, menstrual cramps)
- The veins under my tongue look dark or distended
- My lips or nail beds have a purplish tint
- I have spider veins or varicose veins
✅ Eat more
Hawthorn berry, turmeric, black fungus (wood ear), eggplant, vinegar (moderate), rose tea, brown sugar
⚠️ Eat less
Excessive cold/raw foods, greasy meats, very salty preserved foods, excessive alcohol
How to Score Your Results
Count your ticks in each section. The type with the most ticks is
your primary constitution. If two types are close,
you likely have a mixed constitution—which is
very common.
0–2
ticks
Unlikely your type
3–4
ticks
Secondary influence
5–6
ticks
Primary type — focus here
💡 Pro tip: Your body constitution can shift with
age, seasons, lifestyle, and diet. Re-check every 3–6 months.
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