There is a valuable lesson that I have learned: never order a dish from a restaurant if you can't pronounce it. If a menu item is challenging to pronounce, there is a good chance you won't enjoy the meal. If you are beginning to study Chinese medicine, you might feel frustrated like I did when I once walked into a restaurant in a foreign country and couldn't read anything on the menu.
Mandarin pronunciation is one of the most significant obstacles that you will face when studying Chinese medicine, particularly if you delve into Chinese medical theory or learn about Chinese herbs. You may feel lost in a sea of meaningless combinations of letters and symbols.
Chinese medicine originated in East Asia's region, modern-day China. Chinese characters existed before the development of Chinese medicine, and most Asian countries used Chinese characters in their history and as part of their culture. Korea, China, Japan, and Vietnam are considered part of the Chinese letter based culture, AKA Kanji cultural sphere, as they all use the Kanji writing system in their respective languages. However, these countries read the same character differently. For instance, 白芍 (white peony root) is a prevalent Chinese herb, but its pronunciation differs among different countries.
For example, the Korean pronunciation of 白芍 is paekjak, while the Chinese pronunciation is baishao, and the Japanese is byakushaku. Even in China, different regions, such as Beijing and Shanghai, pronounce it differently. Mandarin is the standard language of China, but it is not the standard language of Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and other countries. Furthermore, Romanization rules can vary from book to book, making it impossible to alphabetize Chinese pronunciation uniformly.
Despite these challenges, to study TCM, you must become accustomed to Pinyin pronunciation. I am not saying that Pinyin pronunciation or Mandarin is the absolute standard; it is simply a matter of convenience. I believe that most TCM terms can be translated into common English, and I hope that happens in the future. However, many people continue to use Pinyin pronunciation because TCM was introduced to the US with pinyin terms in the early 1970s. Learning TCM involves memorizing numerous Pinyin pronunciation words, and I will try my best to keep them to a minimum for your future studies. However, it is inevitable that you will come across tongue-twisting names of people and herbs. Regardless, you will eventually become familiar with Pinyin pronunciation sooner rather than later if you study TCM. Therefore, let's try to learn basic Chinese letters with pinyin which commonly used in names of Chinese books, herbs and decoctions. This letters will be repeated again and again in the class.
Er (二) - The character for the number two is commonly used in Chinese herbal medicine to refer to certain formulas. Examples of these formulas include Er Chen Tang (二陈汤), which is used to treat phlegm congestion, and Er Xian Tang (二仙汤), which is used to alleviate symptoms of menopause.
San (三) - The character for the number three is used in San Huang Wu Di(三皇五帝), San Huang Xie Xin Tang(三黄瀉心湯), and San Miao Wan(三妙丸)
Si (四) - The character for the number four is another commonly used character in Chinese herbal medicine. Examples of formulas that include this character include Si Wu Tang (四物汤), which is used to regulate blood flow and promote menstruation, and Si Jun Zi Tang (四君子汤), which is used to strengthen the digestive system.
Wu (五) - The character for the number five is used in formulas such as Wu Ling San (五苓散), which is used to promote urination and treat edema, and Bu Yang Huan Wu Tang (补阳还五汤), which is used to promote blood circulation and treat stroke.
Liu (六) - The character for the number six is used in formulas such as Liu Wei Di Huang Wan (六味地黄丸), which is used to tonify the kidneys and improve vision.
Ba (八) - The character for the number eight is used in formulas such as Ba Wei Di Huang Wan (八味地黄丸), which is used to tonify the kidneys and nourish the blood. Ba Zhen Tang (八珍汤) is a combination with Si Wu Tang and Si Jun Zi Tang.
Shi (十) - The character for the number ten is used in formulas such as Shi Chuan Da Bu Tang (十全大补汤), which is used to tonify the qi and blood.
Bai (百, 白) - The character means white or hundred. It is commonly used in herbal medicine to refer to certain plant materials. Examples include Bai Shao (白芍), which is used to nourish the blood and calm the liver, and Bai Fu Ling (白茯苓), which is used to promote urination and reduce swelling.
Chi (赤) - The character for red is used in formulas such as Chi Shao (赤芍), which is used to invigorate the blood and reduce pain.
Huang (黄) - The character for yellow is used in formulas such as Huang Lian (黄连), which is used to clear heat and dry dampness, and Huang Qin (黄芩), which is used to clear heat and resolve toxins.
Da (大) - The character for big is used in formulas such as Da Bu Yin Jian (大补阴煎), which is used to tonify the yin and nourish the blood.
Xiao (小) - The character for small is used in formulas such as Xiao Cheng Qi Tang (小承氣湯), which is milder laxative than Da Cheng Qi Tang(大承氣湯)
Tai (太) - The character means great, more and large. Tai Yang(太陽) is greater Yang compared to Shao Yang(少陽)
Shao (少) - The character for less is used in formulas such as Shao Yin (少阴), which refers to a specific meridian in the body.
Qing (清) - The character for clear is used in formulas such as Qing Zhao Jiu Fei Tang (清肺止咳汤), which is used to clear heat and resolve phlegm in the lungs.
Jia Wei (加味) - The character for 'modified' is used in formulas such as Jia Wei Xiao Yao San (加味逍遥散), which is a modified version of Xiao Yao San that includes additional herbs to address specific symptoms or conditions.
Chuan (川) - The character for Chuan refers to the Sichuan province in China, which is known for producing certain herbs that are commonly used in Chinese medicine. Sichuan province is hot and humid and famous for its spicy dishes. Examples of these herbs include Chuan Bei Mu (川贝母), which is used to clear heat and resolve phlegm, and Chuan Niu Xi (川牛膝), which is used to invigorate the blood and reduce swelling.
Ren (仁) - The character for seed is used in several herb names, such as Shan Zao Ren (山竹仁) and Tao Ren (桃仁). Shan Zao Ren is the seed of the Chinese date or jujube tree, and is used to nourish the blood and calm the mind. Tao Ren is the seed of the peach tree, and is used to invigorate blood circulation and promote menstruation.
Hua (花) - The character for flower is used in several herb names, such as Hong Hua (红花) and Hui Hua (晦華). Hong Hua is the flower of the safflower plant, and is used to promote blood circulation and relieve pain. Hui Hua is the flower of the Tamarix chinensis plant, and is used to clear heat and promote urination.
Cao (草) - The character for plant is used in several herb names, such as Gan Cao (甘草) and Tong Cao (通草). Gan Cao is the root of the licorice plant, and is used to tonify the spleen, harmonize the middle burner, and relieve pain. Tong Cao is the stem of the Tetrapanax papyriferus plant, and is used to promote urination and clear heat.
Mu (木) - The character for tree or wood is used in several herb names, such as Mu Xiang (木香) and Mu Tong (木通). Mu Xiang is the root of the costus plant, and is used to regulate qi, relieve pain, and warm the middle burner. Mu Tong is the stem of the akebia vine, and is used to promote urination and remove dampness.
Xiang (香) - The character for aroma is used in several herb names, such as Mu Xiang (木香) and Tan Xiang (檀香). Mu Xiang is the root of the costus plant, as mentioned earlier. Tan Xiang is the heartwood of the sandalwood tree, and is used to promote circulation, calm the mind, and relieve pain.
Wan(丸), Tang(湯), San(散) - These means pill, decoction, and powder retrospectively