The nine constitutions

A common modern framework has nine types: balanced, qi deficiency, yang deficiency, yin deficiency, phlegm-damp, damp-heat, blood stasis, qi stagnation and sensitive. Most people lean mainly one way, with a little of another.

The nine types in brief

The balanced type is the ideal: good energy, appetite and sleep, and easy adaptation to change. Qi-deficient people tire easily, run out of breath when talking and catch colds often. Yang-deficient people feel the cold, have cold hands and feet and prefer hot drinks. Yin-deficient people get a dry mouth, warm palms and light sleep. Phlegm-damp people often feel heavy, with a sticky mouth, and may carry a rounder build. Damp-heat people are prone to breakouts and a bitter taste, and feel both hot and sticky. Blood-stasis people may have a duller complexion and bruise easily. Qi-stagnation people get tense, low or sigh a lot. The sensitive type reacts easily, for example with a sensitive nose or skin.

These are simplified sketches to give you an idea. Real people rarely fit one type exactly; most have a main tendency plus a little of something else.

Can it change?

Yes. Sleep, food, stress and age all shift it, so it is worth retaking the test every few months.

For example, someone full of energy at university might be the balanced type. After a few years of overtime, late nights and takeaway dinners, they may tire easily and feel the cold, leaning towards qi or yang deficiency. The reverse is true too: with a better routine and regular exercise, the body can drift back towards balance. The seasons play a part as well. Hong Kong's humid spring and summer leave some people feeling especially heavy, which eases again in autumn.

How do you find your tendency?

PANguin's constitution test asks everyday questions, such as whether you feel the cold or the heat, how your appetite and sleep are, and how your mood has been, then gives you a tendency as a reference.

Answer for your usual state over the past few weeks, not for today if you happen to have a cold or a late night behind you. For a fuller picture, a registered Chinese medicine practitioner can assess you by looking, listening, asking and feeling the pulse together.

Eating for your type

Each type has its own direction. Here are some simple examples. If you lean towards qi deficiency, gentle foods such as Chinese yam suit you. If you lean towards yang deficiency, warming foods such as walnuts in moderation. If you lean towards yin deficiency, moistening foods such as snow fungus. For phlegm-damp or damp-heat, Job's tears is traditionally used to clear dampness. For qi stagnation, a cup of rose bud tea can help lift your mood.

For acupressure, Zusanli (ST36) is an everyday wellness point for almost every type; Sanyinjiao (SP6) is traditionally used to support yin, blood and digestion; and Taichong (LR3) is often used to ease stress.

Safety notes: do not press Sanyinjiao in pregnancy, and ask a practitioner before pressing Taichong. Job's tears and rose buds are traditionally used with caution in pregnancy. Walnuts are warming, so limit them when you feel hot or have diarrhoea. For more on each one, see the Related acupoints and Related ingredients sections below.

A common misunderstanding: your type is a fixed label

Some people take the test, decide "I am yang deficient", then choose every food by that label and avoid anything cooling altogether. A constitution is a tendency, not an identity, and not an illness. It changes with your life, and you may have two or three tendencies at once.

Treat the result as a mirror that shows where to pay a little more attention; that alone is useful. The test is for wellness reference only. If a symptom persists, see a healthcare professional.