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Quizzes > Health & Medicine

TCM Foundations Practice Test

Quick, free Chinese medicine quiz. Instant results.

Editorial: Review CompletedCreated By: Mathaphat NillaUpdated Aug 28, 2025
Difficulty: Moderate
Questions: 20
Learning OutcomesStudy Material
Paper art depicting a trivia quiz on TCM Foundations Practice Test

This quiz helps you review TCM foundations with 15 quick multiple-choice questions on Yin-Yang, meridians, and Zang-Fu. Use it to spot gaps and strengthen your basics before exams or study sessions. For more practice, try the icd 10 practice test, or sharpen test skills with the quick QuizTest challenge.

Which quality is characteristic of Yin in Traditional Chinese Medicine?
Cold
Bright
Expansion
Movement
In TCM, Yin embodies qualities of cold, rest, and substance. Cold is the defining characteristic of Yin energy as opposed to Yang's warmth and activity.
In Five Elements theory, which element corresponds to the season of Summer?
Fire
Earth
Wood
Water
In the Five Elements model, Fire is associated with Summer, warmth, and peak yang energy. This correspondence reflects the most active and expansive phase of the cycle.
Which organ is classified as a Zang organ in TCM?
Gallbladder
Spleen
Large Intestine
Stomach
Zang organs are solid, yin organs responsible for storing vital substances. The Spleen is one of the five Zang organs, while the others listed are Fu (hollow) organs.
A red tongue body typically indicates which underlying condition?
Cold
Qi stagnation
Heat
Blood deficiency
A red tongue body is a classic sign of internal heat in TCM diagnosis. This heat may arise from excess yang or from yin deficiency producing relative heat.
Which treatment strategy focuses on strengthening deficient Qi?
Clearing
Harmonizing
Tonifying
Reducing
Tonifying is the primary strategy used to supplement and strengthen deficient Qi. It supports the body's energy when it is weak or depleted.
In the Five Elements generating cycle, which element generates Fire?
Wood
Water
Earth
Metal
In the generating (sheng) cycle, Wood generates Fire by providing the fuel for burning. This reflects the supportive, nurturing relationship between these elements.
A rapid, forceful pulse in TCM usually indicates which pattern?
Cold deficiency
Yin excess
Heat excess
Blood deficiency
A rapid, strong pulse is a hallmark of excess heat syndromes in TCM. It indicates yang or fire is abundant and moving vigorously.
A pale tongue body with a thin white coating most commonly suggests which imbalance?
Yang excess
Blood stagnation
Qi deficiency
Damp-Heat
A pale tongue body reflects insufficient Qi or blood to nourish body tissues. A thin white coating is considered normal, so the primary issue is Qi deficiency.
Which TCM organ is responsible for storing Blood?
Liver
Heart
Kidney
Spleen
The Liver is responsible for storing Blood and regulating its volume during rest and activity. This function supports circulation and maintains blood harmony.
On the left wrist, which pulse position corresponds to the Heart channel?
Zhong
Chi
Guan
Cun
In pulse diagnosis, the left Cun position reflects the Heart channel. Proper identification of pulse positions is essential for accurate organ assessment.
Which treatment principle is applied to an excess syndrome in TCM?
Warming
Tonifying
Reducing
Harmonizing
Reducing (Xie) is used to disperse and eliminate excesses such as heat or stagnation. It contrasts with tonifying, which is used for deficiencies.
Which emotion is associated with the Fire element in Five Elements theory?
Fear
Anger
Joy
Grief
Fire corresponds to the emotion of joy, reflecting its warm and expansive nature. Other emotions align with different elements.
Which tongue coating typically indicates interior cold dampness?
White slippery coating
Thick yellow coating
Yellow greasy coating
Red peeled coating
A white, slippery (greasy) coating on the tongue suggests cold dampness accumulating internally. The slippery texture indicates dampness, while the white color denotes cold.
The Pericardium meridian is classified under which category of channels?
Extraordinary vessels
Luo-Connecting channels
Divergent channels
Primary channels
The Pericardium channel is one of the Twelve Primary meridians. These channels directly connect to and manage the flow of Qi for their associated Zang-Fu organs.
Which Zang organ governs the sinews according to TCM?
Liver
Lung
Heart
Kidney
The Liver stores Blood and nourishes the sinews, ensuring smooth movement and flexibility. Imbalances in Liver Blood often manifest as tendon or muscle problems.
A patient presents with hypochondriac pain, irritability, and a wiry pulse. Which pattern is indicated?
Blood stasis
Kidney yin deficiency
Liver qi stagnation
Spleen qi deficiency
Hypochondriac pain, irritability, and a wiry pulse are classic signs of Liver qi stagnation. This pattern arises when Liver energy fails to flow smoothly.
A transverse crack in the midline of the tongue reaching the tip most suggests which imbalance?
Liver yang rising
Heart yin deficiency
Spleen qi deficiency
Kidney yang deficiency
A midline tongue crack extending to the tip often indicates Heart yin deficiency. The crack reflects yin fluid depletion in the Heart network.
In the Five Elements controlling cycle, which element restrains Fire?
Wood
Earth
Water
Metal
In the controlling (Ke) cycle, Water restrains Fire by extinguishing it. This regulatory relationship maintains balance among the elements.
Which meridian category facilitates deeper connections between the Zang-Fu organs and Primary meridians?
Divergent channels
Sinew channels
Extraordinary vessels
Luo-Connecting channels
Divergent channels branch from the Primary meridians and penetrate deeper into the body to connect with Zang-Fu organs. They harmonize the internal and external aspects of meridian Qi.
For a Liver yin deficiency pattern with signs of rising yang, which treatment strategy is most appropriate?
Only subdue yang
Tonify yin and subdue yang
Clear heat and drain dampness
Only tonify yin
Liver yin deficiency with rising yang requires a combined approach: nourishing yin to root the deficiency and subduing excess yang to calm symptoms. A single strategy would not address both aspects.
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Learning Outcomes

  1. Identify key principles of Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory
  2. Analyze diagnostic patterns in Traditional Chinese Medicine
  3. Apply fundamentals of pulse and tongue assessment
  4. Evaluate meridian roles in qi and blood circulation
  5. Demonstrate understanding of Zang-Fu organ functions
  6. Master basic TCM treatment strategy selection

Cheat Sheet

  1. Dynamic Balance of Yin and Yang - Yin and Yang are like cosmic teammates: Yin brings cool, restful energy while Yang brings warmth and action. Maintaining this two-player game in harmony keeps your body running smoothly and helps pinpoint where things go offbeat.
  2. Five Elements Theory - The Five Elements (Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, Water) act like the Avengers of the body, each linked to specific organs and emotions. For example, Wood vibes with the Liver and can stir up anger when out of balance. Understanding these elemental buddies makes holistic diagnosis a breeze.
  3. Zang-Fu Organ Theory - The Zang-Fu system maps your organs into Yin (Zang - like Heart & Liver) that store vital substances, and Yang (Fu - like Stomach & Bladder) that process them. It's essentially your body's own internal city plan for function and flow. Mastering this map is key to decoding TCM physiology.
  4. Pulse Diagnosis - Feeling the pulse at three spots on each wrist is like using a multi-sensor scanner to check Qi and blood health. Variations in depth, rhythm, and strength reveal vital clues - imagine a wiry pulse practically shouting "Liver Qi stuck!" to the TCM detective. This hands-on tool is a cornerstone of traditional diagnosis.
  5. Tongue Diagnosis - Your tongue is like a glossy report card on your internal health, with color, shape, and coating as the grading metrics. A pale, thin tongue might whisper "Qi deficiency," while a red, coated one yells "heat alert!" in the body. Learning these tongue clues can boost your diagnostic ninja skills.
  6. Meridian Pathways - Think of meridians as secret highways ferrying Qi and blood to every organ pit stop. There are 12 primary routes, each linked to a Zang or Fu organ, ensuring energy deliveries run on time. Navigating these pathways is crucial for acupuncture and acupressure mastery.
  7. Functions of Zang Organs - The Zang organs are the Yin heavyweights: the Heart hosts the mind and pumps blood, the Liver stores blood and smooths out Qi flow, the Spleen turns food into Qi, the Lungs govern respiration, and the Kidneys hold essence and regulate growth. Picture them as the VIPs of your physiological lounge.
  8. Functions of Fu Organs - The Fu organs handle your body's on-the-go tasks: the Stomach ripens food, the Small Intestine sorts clear from turbid, the Large Intestine dumps waste, the Gallbladder stores bile, the Bladder holds and releases urine, and the Sanjiao orchestrates fluid movement. They're your digestive and excretory dream team.
  9. Basic TCM Treatment Strategies - Practitioners use four main approaches: tonify deficiency, reduce excess, warm cold, and cool heat - like choosing the perfect skill in an RPG. For instance, Qi deficiency calls for tonifying moves via acupuncture and herbal tonics to power you up. Mastering these strategies levels up your treatment game.
  10. Interrelationships Between Organs - Organs in TCM are BFFs with give-and-take connections: the Heart and Lungs team up through Qi and blood, so when one's off, the other feels it too. Spotting these friendship dynamics helps you craft holistic and effective treatment plans.
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