伏沉极为伏，按至骨乃见，或竟有不见者。
动，跳动之意，大惊多见此脉。盖惊则心胸跳突，故脉亦应之而跳突也，必带数，
故上文系之数脉条下。
张仲景曰∶若数脉见于关，（观若字，则关是偶举可知，非动脉止见于关也。）上下无头尾，（状
其圆而突耳，非真上不至寸，下不至尺也。）如豆大，厥厥动摇者，名曰动。
脉之歇止者有三∶
结 脉来迟，时一止而复来者，曰结。如人之徐行而歇也。
促 脉来数，时一止而复来者，曰促。如人之疾行而蹶也。数亦名促，此之促，
指歇至言，须分别观之。
代 结促之止无常数，代之止有常数。（常数，即下文四十动三十动之数。）代，又为更代
之称，别见胃气条，义与此异，须分别观之。
《内经》曰∶脉一日一夜五十营，（营运也。经谓人周身上下，左右前后，凡二十八脉，共长一十
六丈二尺，五十运计长八百一十丈。呼吸定息，脉行六寸，一日夜行八百一十丈，计一万三千五百息。
按此伪说也，人一日夜岂止一万三千五百息哉。）五十动而不一代者，（代，歇至也。）五脏皆受气。
四十动一代者，一脏无气。（肾气先尽也。其吸不能至肾，止至肝而还。景岳曰∶观此，则下
文所谓二脏
三脏云云者，当自远而近，以次而短，由肾而肝而脾而心而肺。故凡病将死者，必气促，
仅呼吸于胸中数寸之间而
已。）三十动一代者，二脏无气。二十动一代者，三脏无气。十动一代者，四脏无气。
不满十动一代者，五脏无气，予之短期。（此皆死在旦夕。而王氏《脉经》谓一脏无气，后四岁死，
二脏无气，后三岁死，云云，恐非。）
脉象中，伏脉和沉脉深至极点称为伏脉，必须按至骨骼才能触及，甚至有的完全摸不到。
“动”脉，是指脉搏跳动明显，受到大惊刺激时多见这种脉象。因为惊吓会导致心胸部位悸动突出，所以脉搏也会随之出现跳突的现象，且必然带有数脉的特征，因此上文将其归类在数脉条目之下。
张仲景说：如果数脉出现在关部，（从“若”字可以看出，关部只是偶然举例说明，并非动脉只见于关部。）脉搏上下没有头尾之分，（这是形容其形态圆而突起，并非真的上不到寸口、下不到尺部），大小如豆粒，厥厥然动摇不定，这就叫做动脉。
脉搏出现歇止（停顿）的情况有三种：
结脉：脉搏来势迟缓，偶尔停顿一次后又继续跳动，称为结脉。就像人慢慢行走时停下来休息一样。
促脉：脉搏来势急促，偶尔停顿一次后又继续跳动，称为促脉。就像人快速奔跑时跌倒一样。（注：脉率快也称为“促”，此处的“促”特指有歇止的脉象，需要仔细区分看待。）
代脉：结脉和促脉的歇止没有固定的规律，而代脉的歇止有固定的规律。（所谓固定规律，即下文提到的每四十次或三十次跳动中有一次歇止的次数。）“代”又有更替、替代的意思，另见“胃气”条目，其含义与此不同，需要分别看待。
《黄帝内经》说：脉搏在一日一夜之间循环运行五十周次，（“营”意为营运。经文说人的周身上下、左右前后，共有二十八条经脉，总长度为一十六丈二尺，五十周次的运行总计长度为八百一十丈。每次呼吸定息，脉搏运行六寸，一日一夜运行八百一十丈，共计一万三千五百次呼吸。按此计算是伪说，人一日一夜的呼吸次数难道只有一万三千五百次吗？）如果脉搏跳动五十次而没有一次歇止，说明五脏都接受了气血滋养。如果每跳动四十次就出现一次歇止，说明有一脏没有气血（通常是肾气先耗尽。表现为吸气不能到达肾脏，只到肝脏就返回。张景岳说：看这一点，那么下文所说的两脏、三脏无气的情况，应当是从远端向近端、依次缩短，由肾到肝到脾到心再到肺。所以凡是病情危重即将死亡的人，必定气息短促，仅在胸中几寸之间进行呼吸而已）。如果每跳动三十次就出现一次歇止，说明有两脏没有气血。如果每跳动二十次就出现一次歇止，说明有三脏没有气血。如果每跳动十次就出现一次歇止，说明有四脏没有气血。如果不满十次跳动就出现一次歇止，说明五脏都没有气血，预后不良，给予短期死亡的判断。（这些情况都是旦夕之间就会死亡。而王叔和的《脉经》中说一脏无气四年后死，二脏无气三年后死等等，恐怕是不正确的。）
Among pulse qualities, the deep and sunken pulses reaching their extreme depth are termed Fu Pulse (伏脉, Fú Mài - Hidden Pulse). It is felt only when pressing down to the bone, or in some cases, it cannot be detected at all.
The Dong Pulse (动脉, Dòng Mài - Moving Pulse) refers to a palpable throbbing sensation. This pulse is commonly seen after severe fright. Since fright causes palpitations and protrusion in the chest and heart region, the pulse responds with a corresponding throbbing movement. It must carry the characteristics of a Rapid Pulse (数脉, Shuò Mài), which is why it was previously categorized under the section on Rapid Pulses.
Zhang Zhongjing stated: "If a Rapid Pulse appears at the Guan position (关部, Guān Bù - Middle Position), [the use of 'if' implies that the Guan position is merely an example, not that the Moving Pulse is exclusive to this location]. Without distinct head or tail above and below [describing its round and protruding shape, not literally meaning it does not extend to the Cun (寸) or Chi (尺) positions], about the size of a bean, trembling and quivering vigorously, this is named the Moving Pulse."
There are three types of pulses with intermittent pauses (歇止, Xiē Zhǐ):
Jie Pulse (结脉, Jié Mài - Knotted Pulse): The pulse arrives slowly and occasionally pauses before resuming. This is called Jie Pulse. It resembles a person walking leisurely who stops to rest.
Cu Pulse (促脉, Cù Mài - Urgent Pulse): The pulse arrives rapidly and occasionally pauses before resuming. This is called Cu Pulse. It resembles a person running quickly who stumbles. Note: A rapid rate alone is also sometimes referred to as "Cu"; here, "Cu" specifically refers to the presence of pauses, so they must be distinguished carefully.
Dai Pulse (代脉, Dài Mài - Intermittent Pulse): The pauses in Jie and Cu pulses occur irregularly, whereas the pauses in Dai Pulse occur at regular intervals. [Regular intervals refer to the counts mentioned later, such as one pause every forty or thirty beats.] "Dai" also signifies succession or replacement. See the section on Stomach Qi for another meaning, which differs from this context; they must be distinguished.
The *Nei Jing* (《黄帝内经》, Huáng Dì Nèi Jīng - Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor) states: "The pulse circulates fifty times in one day and night. ['Ying' means circulation. The text states that throughout the body, up, down, left, right, front, and back, there are twenty-eight meridians totaling sixteen zhang and two chi in length. Fifty cycles cover a total distance of eight hundred ten zhang. With each breath cycle, the pulse travels six cun. In one day and night, it travels eight hundred ten zhang, accounting for thirteen thousand five hundred breaths. This calculation is considered erroneous; surely a person does not breathe only thirteen thousand five hundred times in a day and night?]." If the pulse beats fifty times without any interruption, it indicates that all five Zang organs have received Qi. If there is one interruption every forty beats, it indicates that one Zang organ lacks Qi (typically implying Kidney Qi is exhausted first. The inhalation fails to reach the Kidneys and returns upon reaching the Liver. Zhang Jingyue said: Based on this, the subsequent mentions of two or three Zang organs lacking Qi should be understood as progressing from distal to proximal, shortening sequentially, starting from the Kidney, then Liver, Spleen, Heart, and Lung. Therefore, those near death invariably suffer from shortness of breath, respiring only within a few cun of the chest). If there is one interruption every thirty beats, it indicates that two Zang organs lack Qi. If there is one interruption every twenty beats, it indicates that three Zang organs lack Qi. If there is one interruption every ten beats, it indicates that four Zang organs lack Qi. If there is an interruption in fewer than ten beats, it indicates that all five Zang organs lack Qi, predicting a short life expectancy [These conditions imply death is imminent. However, Wang Shuhe's *Mai Jing* (Pulse Classic) claims that one Zang lacking Qi leads to death in four years, two Zangs in three years, etc., which is likely incorrect].