"Someone online said I have liver qi stagnation — is that right?" These two terms — 「肝气」 and 「心神」 — circulate widely and are just as widely misused.

This article is not about managing stress, and it is not the sleep consultation piece (that one is here). It does one thing: explain what these two terms actually are, in 5 points.

I. First: the TCM "liver" is not your liver

As with 「肾」, this is easily confused.

In TCM theory, 「肝」 is a conceptual category within a theoretical framework, and not the same order of thing as the liver of modern anatomy. The liver function figures on a blood test do not describe the TCM 「肝气」 — the two are different orders of description and should not be mapped onto each other.

Equally, the 「心」 in 「心神」 does not mean the heart as an organ.

What 「肝气」 is understood to mean within TCM belongs to the theoretical framework of the organ systems and qi dynamics. That framework has its own internal logic, but it is not written in the language of modern physiology — so it should not be translated into a physiological mechanism to explain it.

II. The other 4 points

• Two: these are a practitioner's terms, not self-labels. They come after a full consultation and assessment, describing an overall judgement — not nouns for a reader to match against themselves.
• Three: online self-tests do not hold up. The same set of presentations can point to different patterns within TCM theory, which is exactly why assessment by a practitioner exists.
• Four: they are not synonyms for emotions. Equating 「肝气郁结」 with "being in a bad mood", or 「心神不宁」 with an anxiety disorder, forces two different languages together.
• Five: they do not substitute for a diagnosis. Persistent low mood, anxiety or insomnia need medical assessment. See section IV.

A note: this section is general information only. For conditions like these, follow your doctor's diagnosis and treatment, and seek medical attention when you need it.

III. Two languages, side by side

This table deliberately does not list "signs of liver qi stagnation". TCM is not a self-assessment quiz — that is exactly how these terms get misused.

IV. See a doctor first in these situations

TCM vocabulary does not substitute for a diagnosis. Seek professional support if there is:

• Persistently low mood, or loss of interest in things you used to enjoy
• Anxiety that is hard to control and affects daily life or work
• Long-standing insomnia, or needing medication to fall asleep
• Thoughts of harming yourself — this is not something to wait on. Call 999, or go to the nearest hospital emergency department. To talk to someone, Befrienders KL is open 24 hours on 03-7627 2929. You can also contact your doctor.
• Panic attacks: sudden palpitations, breathlessness, trembling, intense fear
• You take psychiatric medication — follow your doctor's treatment, and never stop or adjust it on your own
• Marked weight change, palpitations or tremor alongside it — testing may be needed

A note: this section is general information only. For conditions like these, follow your doctor's diagnosis and treatment, and seek medical attention when you need it.

V. Fitting it into life in Malaysia

• The graphic a friend forwarded. A good starting point for a question, not a conclusion. Bring the screenshot and discuss it.
• What the short videos say. These two terms are used heavily in local content. The judgement belongs to a practitioner, not to a video.
• Crunch periods, exam season, family events. Naming the specific stretch is far more useful than "stressed".
• Already seeing a doctor or a counsellor. Say so, including any medication. Doing this safely depends on both sides knowing.
• Calming tonics from family. Mention the contents and where they came from.

On what a sleep consultation actually asks: how TCM assesses poor sleep. On how assessment works: what pattern differentiation is.

In closing

✅ Worth remembering:

1. The TCM 「肝」 and 「心」 are concepts in a theoretical framework, not the organs, and should not be mapped onto them.
2. These are a practitioner's terms, arrived at after a consultation — not self-labels.
3. Online self-tests do not hold up — the same presentation can point in different directions.
4. They are not synonyms for emotions or for a psychiatric diagnosis.
5. Persistent low mood, uncontrollable anxiety, long-standing insomnia — seek professional support.

❌ Better not to:

1. Take a short video's terminology as your own diagnosis.
2. Stop psychiatric medication on your own because you have started TCM care.
3. Carry thoughts of harming yourself alone — reach out immediately.

👉 If you would like to set out stress and sleep for a practitioner, you are welcome to book an online consultation with HansMed, where a practitioner registered under the T&CM Act 2016 can assess it with you; if anything in section IV applies, see a doctor first.

Reviewed by Ms. Bavithaa Sufina, a TCM practitioner registered with Malaysia's Traditional and Complementary Medicine Council under the T&CM Act 2016, practising in pain management, internal medicine, acupuncture and women's health.

Sit with a licensed TCM practitioner from wherever you are.

HansMed Modern TCM

「医师，网上说我这是肝气郁结，是真的吗？」这两个词——「肝气」和「心神」——是常被转发、也常被误用的中医术语。

这篇不是教您怎么调理压力，也不是睡眠问诊的说明（那一篇在这里）。这篇只做一件事：把这两个词讲清楚，整理成 5 个重点。

一、先分清楚：中医的「肝」不是您的肝脏

和「肾」一样，这一点很容易混淆。

在中医理论中，「肝」是一个理论框架里的概念分类，与现代解剖学的肝脏（liver）不是同一层次的东西。验血报告上的肝功能指数，反映的不是中医所说的「肝气」——两者属于不同层次的说法，不应直接对应。

同样地，「心神」中的「心」，指的也不是心脏这个器官。

至于「肝气」在中医理论中被理解为什么，属于脏腑与气机的理论框架。这个框架有它自己的内部逻辑，但它不是用现代生理学的语言写成的，因此不应该把它翻译成现代生理学的说法来解释。

二、另外 4 个重点

• 重点二：这些是医师的术语，不是自我标签。 它们出现在完整问诊与辨证之后，用来描述医师的整体判断，而不是读者拿来对照自己的名词。
• 重点三：网络上的「自测」不成立。 同一组表现在中医理论中可能指向不同证型，这正是需要辨证的原因。
• 重点四：它们不是情绪的同义词。 把「肝气郁结」直接等同于「心情不好」，或把「心神不宁」等同于「焦虑症」，都是把两套不同的语言硬接在一起。
• 重点五：它们不能取代诊断。 持续的情绪低落、焦虑或失眠，需要医生的评估。这一点见第四节。

小提醒：本段仅为一般知识说明。相关情况请以西医的诊断与治疗为主，并在需要时及时就医。

三、一张表看懂：两套语言的差别

这张表刻意不写「什么表现属于肝气郁结」。中医不做自我对号入座——那正是这些词被误用的方式。

四、这些情况请先看医生

中医的术语不能取代诊断。以下情况请寻求专业协助：

• 情绪持续低落，或对原本喜欢的事失去兴趣
• 焦虑难以控制，影响日常生活或工作
• 长期失眠，或需要依赖药物才能入睡
• 出现伤害自己的念头——这不是可以等的事。请立刻拨打 999，或前往最近的医院急诊部。若想找人谈一谈，Befrienders KL 24 小时热线：03-7627 2929。您也可以联络您的医生。
• 恐慌发作：突然的心悸、气促、发抖、强烈的恐惧感
• 正在服用精神科药物——请以医生的治疗为主，切勿自行停药或自行加减
• 伴随明显体重变化、心悸、手抖——可能需要检验才能确认

小提醒：本段仅为一般知识说明。相关情况请以西医的诊断与治疗为主，并在需要时及时就医。

五、大马生活里怎么安排

• 朋友转发的那张图：可以当作提问的起点，不要当成结论。截图带来问诊时讨论。
• 短视频里的说法：这两个词在本地内容里被大量使用。判断属于医师，不属于影片。
• 加班季、考试季、家庭事件：这些具体的时期比「压力大」有用得多，值得说明。
• 已经在看医生或辅导：请一并说明，包括正在服用的药物。两边都知道，才安全。
• 家人给的安神补品：请说明成分与来源。

想了解睡眠问诊实际会问什么，可参考：睡不好，中医会怎么评估。想了解辨证是怎么做的，可参考：辨证是什么。

结语

✅ 记住这几点：

1. 中医的「肝」「心」是理论框架里的概念，与器官不是同一层次，不应直接对应。
2. 这些是医师的术语，出现在问诊之后，不是自我标签。
3. 网络自测不成立——同一组表现可能指向不同判断。
4. 它们不是情绪或精神诊断的同义词。
5. 持续低落、难以控制的焦虑、长期失眠——请寻求专业协助。

❌ 不要这样做：

1. 不要把短视频里的术语当成自己的诊断。
2. 不要因为开始中医调理就自行停掉精神科药物。
3. 不要在出现伤害自己的念头时独自撑着——请立刻求助。

👉 如果您想把压力与睡眠的情况说给医师听，欢迎透过汉方中医的线上问诊，由依 2016 年 T&CM 法令注册的医师为您评估；若您有第四节列出的情况，请先看医生。

本文由 芭苇妲 医师 撰稿审阅。芭苇妲 医师依 2016 年 T&CM 法令于马来西亚传统与辅助医药理事会注册执业，专长为疼痛管理、内科、针灸与妇科。

无论身在何处，与持证中医师对坐。

汉方现代中医