TCM Wellness · Unit 1: Qi · 中醫養生一

When Overexertion Drains Qi

Four ancient characters explain the most common cause of weak qi — and "overexertion" means more than physical tiredness.
《黃帝內經》四個字講完氣虛最常見的成因，而「勞」不只是體力上的累。

Unit 3: When Overexertion Drains Qi

The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, one of the oldest texts in Chinese medicine, states the idea in four characters: overexertion drains qi. The same chapter goes even further, claiming that a hundred diseases arise from qi. What makes this idea useful today is what counts as "overexertion." It is not limited to physical labor. Thinking too much, carrying responsibility for too long, and never quite letting go of a worry are all treated as forms of overexertion in Chinese medicine — the same category as working a double shift.

《黃帝內經》——中醫最古老的典籍之一——用四個字講完了這個概念：勞則氣耗。同一篇甚至講得更重：百病生於氣。這個概念到今天還有用的地方，在於什麼算是「勞」。它不只限於體力勞動。思慮過度、長期承擔責任、放不下一個擔心，在中醫裡都被當成「勞」的一種——跟連上兩班一樣算在同一個範疇裡。

Qi behaves like any resource that gets spent. If it is drawn on constantly and never replenished, the result is depletion. And the classic signs of depleted qi line up closely with the five functions from the last lesson: a person feels tired and doesn't want to talk, catches colds easily, and may sweat with the smallest amount of exertion.

氣的行為就像任何會被花掉的資源。如果持續被支出、卻從來沒有回補，結果就是耗竭。而氣耗竭的典型徵象，剛好對上上一課的五個功能：人會累、不想講話、容易感冒，稍微用一點力就可能流汗。

None of this is a diagnosis. It is a description of a mechanism — spending without replenishing — that anyone can recognize in their own life, long before it becomes a medical problem.

這些都不是診斷，而是一種機制的描述——支出而不回補——任何人都能在自己的生活裡認出來，早在它變成醫療問題之前。

Read aloud · 課文朗讀

Questions · 閱讀理解

What does the phrase "overexertion drains qi" mean, according to the passage?

It means that qi is used up when a person is overexerted — whether the exertion is physical, mental, or emotional.

According to the passage, why does worrying for a long time count as a kind of "overexertion," even without physical labor?

Because Chinese medicine treats sustained worry and responsibility as a drain on the same resource — qi — that physical labor draws on.

How do the symptoms described in this passage connect to the five functions of qi from the previous lesson?

The symptoms — tiredness, frequent colds, and sweating with little exertion — are what happens when qi's five functions (moving, warming, defending, holding, transforming) are no longer being carried out with full force.

Words & Phrases · 生字及片語

drain(v.)耗盡；使流失Long meetings drain his energy by the end of the day.冗長的會議到了一天結束時會耗盡他的精力。depletion(n.)耗竭；枯竭Depletion of iron in the body can lead to fatigue.體內鐵質的耗竭會導致疲勞。replenish(v.)補充；回補Drink water regularly to replenish what you lose through sweat.定期喝水以補充流汗流失的水分。resource(n.)資源Time is a limited resource, just like money.時間跟金錢一樣，是有限的資源。sustained(adj.)持續的Sustained effort over months matters more than one hard day.持續好幾個月的努力，比一天拚命更重要。mechanism(n.)機制Understanding the mechanism behind a habit makes it easier to change.理解一個習慣背後的機制，會讓它更容易被改變。

Quick Check · 小測驗

1. According to the passage, which of these counts as "overexertion" in Chinese medicine?

2. What does the passage mean by saying qi "behaves like any resource that gets spent"?

3. What is the relationship between the symptoms in this lesson and the five functions of qi from the previous lesson?

This lesson explains a mechanism, not a diagnosis. If tiredness, frequent colds, and unexplained sweating show up together, that's worth a visit to a licensed doctor of Chinese medicine.
這是機制的描述，不是診斷；如果疲倦、容易感冒、無故流汗同時出現，值得掛號給合格中醫師看看。