薄白如米饮敷舌，此伤寒、中寒之初候也。无表症状见者，饮食停膈上也。
白如豆浆敷舌，此白而滑润，伤寒、中寒、湿邪、痰饮等病也。以脉诊分别断之。但薄白不
润泽，舌质不甚红者，伤燥表症也。
白而浓如豆腐脑铺舌，痰热症也。
白而疏如米粉铺红，伤热、伤暑初传之候也。
白如粟米成颗粒，此热邪在气分也。
白如银色，谓光亮如银，此热症误补之变苔也。
白如旱烟灰色，不问润燥，皆热症误燥之变苔也。
白如银锭底，谓有孔如银锭底式，此热症误补误燥，津液已伤，元气欲陷，邪将深入之候也
白如豆腐渣堆舌，此热症误燥，腐浊积滞胃中，欲作下症也。如中心开裂，则为虚极反似实
症之候，当补气，须以脉诊分别之。
白如豆腐筋堆舌，谓白苔浓而有孔，如豆腐煮熟有孔者曰筋，谓有二三条白者，余则红色，
或
白如糙石糙手，此燥伤胃汁，不能润舌，肾气不能上达之候。亦有清气被抑不能生津者，当
以脉诊分别断之。与黄黑如锅焦色条下参观。
似白非白，如画工以脂调粉，为雪青色。有深浅二种，浅者如雪青湖绉色，此乃热邪入营初
候；深者如雪青杭绸色，此乃暑热二邪已入血分之候。
此苔类似薄白，但舌质红而细看有乳头微点者，故以雪青色名之。为血分热症必有之苔，常
见
后学何从解悟。故以细心体认，比例法直告之。俾无误认之弊。
舌质深红，如红萝卜干有盐霜，此乃热邪深入久留，误服攻燥之药，胃阴大伤之候。温热末
传危症也。
舌苔薄白，像米汤一样覆盖在舌面上，这是伤寒、中寒的初期征象。如果没有表证的症状出现，说明是饮食停滞在胸膈上部。
舌苔白如豆浆覆盖舌面，这种舌苔白而滑润，多见于伤寒、中寒、湿邪、痰饮等病证。需要通过脉诊来分别判断。如果是薄白且不润泽，舌质不是很红的，属于伤燥的表证。
舌苔白而浓厚，像豆腐脑一样铺满舌面，这是痰热证。
舌苔白而稀疏，像米粉铺在红色舌面上，这是伤热、伤暑初传阶段的征象。
舌苔白如粟米形成颗粒状，这是热邪在气分的表现。
舌苔白如银色，指光亮如银，这是热证误用补法后出现的变苔。
舌苔白如旱烟灰色，无论润燥，都是热证误用燥药后出现的变苔。
舌苔白如银锭底，指有孔洞如同银锭底部的样式，这是热证误用补法和燥法，津液已经受损，元气将要下陷，邪气即将深入体内的征象。
舌苔白如豆腐渣堆积在舌上，这是热证误用燥药，腐浊积滞于胃中，即将发展为里实证的征象。如果舌中心出现裂纹，则是虚极反而类似实证的表现，应当补气，但必须通过脉诊来分别判断。
舌苔白如豆腐筋堆积在舌上，指白苔浓厚且有孔洞，像煮熟有孔的豆腐筋一样，如果有两三条白色的，其余部分是红色的；或者舌苔白如粗糙的石头摩擦手感，这是燥邪损伤了胃汁，不能滋润舌面，肾气不能上达的征象。也有可能是清气被抑制不能生津的情况，应当通过脉诊来分别判断。请与黄黑如锅焦色的条文参照阅读。
舌苔似白非白，像画工用脂调粉呈现出的雪青色。有深浅两种，浅的像雪青湖绉色，这是热邪初入营分的初期征象；深的像雪青杭绸色，这是暑热二邪已经进入血分的征象。
这种舌苔类似薄白，但舌质红且细看有乳头微点，所以称为雪青色。这是血分热证必然出现的舌苔，常见于后世学者难以理解领悟之处。因此细心体认，用比例法直接告知，以避免误认的弊端。
舌质深红，像红萝卜干上有盐霜，这是热邪深入久留，误服攻伐燥烈的药物，导致胃阴大伤的征象。这是温热病末传阶段的危重证候。
The tongue coating is thin and white, covering the tongue like rice gruel; this is an initial manifestation of Cold Damage (Shanghan) or Middle Cold (Zhonghan). If no exterior syndrome symptoms are present, it indicates food stagnation in the upper chest and diaphragm.
The tongue coating is white and covers the tongue like soy milk; this refers to a white and slippery coating, seen in diseases such as Cold Damage, Middle Cold, Dampness pathogen, and Phlegm-fluid retention. These should be differentiated and diagnosed via pulse examination. However, if the coating is thin and white without moisture, and the tongue body is not very red, it indicates an exterior syndrome caused by Dryness injury.
The tongue coating is white, thick, and dense, spreading over the tongue like tofu brain; this is a Phlegm-Heat syndrome.
The tongue coating is white and sparse, resembling rice flour spread on a red surface; this is an initial transmission stage of Heat injury or Summerheat injury.
The tongue coating is white like millet grains forming granules; this indicates the Heat pathogen is in the Qi level.
The tongue coating is white like silver, meaning bright and shiny like silver; this is a transformed coating resulting from the mistaken use of tonification in a Heat syndrome.
The tongue coating is white like the gray color of dried tobacco; regardless of whether it is moist or dry, this is a transformed coating resulting from the mistaken use of drying agents in a Heat syndrome.
The tongue coating is white like the bottom of a silver ingot, meaning it has holes similar to the pattern of a silver ingot's base; this indicates that in a Heat syndrome, due to mistaken use of both tonification and drying methods, the Body Fluids have been damaged, the Original Qi is about to sink, and the pathogenic factor is about to penetrate deeply.
The tongue coating is white like tofu dregs piled on the tongue; this indicates that in a Heat syndrome, due to the mistaken use of drying methods, putrid turbidity has accumulated in the Stomach, and a Interior Excess syndrome is about to develop. If there is a crack in the center, it indicates a condition of extreme deficiency mimicking excess; one should tonify Qi, but differentiation must be made via pulse examination.
The tongue coating is white like tofu fibers piled on the tongue, meaning the white coating is thick with holes, resembling cooked tofu with pores; if there are two or three strips of white while the rest is red, or if the coating feels rough like sandpaper, this indicates that Dryness has damaged the Stomach fluids, preventing them from moistening the tongue, and Kidney Qi cannot ascend. There may also be cases where Clear Qi is suppressed and unable to generate fluids; these should be differentiated and diagnosed via pulse examination. Refer to the section on yellow and black coatings like pot scorch for comparison.
The coating appears white but is not truly white, resembling snow-blue created by painters mixing powder with grease. There are two depths: light snow-blue resembles the color of lake crepe, indicating the initial entry of Heat pathogen into the Ying (Nutritive) level; deep snow-blue resembles the color of Hang silk, indicating that Summerheat and Heat pathogens have entered the Xue (Blood) level.
This coating resembles thin white, but the tongue body is red, and upon close inspection, tiny papillae points are visible, hence named "snow-blue." This is a mandatory coating for Blood-level Heat syndromes. It is often difficult for later students to comprehend; therefore, careful observation and proportional analogy are used to explain directly, to avoid misdiagnosis.
The tongue body is deep red, resembling dried carrot sticks with salt frost; this indicates that Heat pathogen has penetrated deeply and lingered for a long time, and the mistaken use of purgative and drying drugs has severely damaged Stomach Yin. This is a critical stage at the end of Warm-Heat disease transmission.