Reference: temperaments and organs

A person whose temperament leans hot: as if the body's "engine" runs faster.

Build & body

Usually well-proportioned or slightly thin; grows faster in childhood and adolescence.

Skin

Warm to the touch, sometimes reddish, veins more visible under the skin, sweats easily.

Hair & nails

Head and body hair grows fast and thick; hair loss or greying may start earlier than usual.

Face

Rosy to reddish complexion; a hand on the forehead or cheek feels noticeable warmth.

Hands

Warm palms.

Tongue

Deep red tongue, sometimes with a thin yellow coating.

Pulse

Faster than average and strong.

Sleep

Short and light; falls asleep late and wakes early.

Digestion

Fast digestion, good appetite, gets hungry soon.

Stool

Usually regular; with added dryness, mild constipation may appear.

Urine

Usually darker with a stronger smell.

Breathing & thirst

Breathes faster and gets thirsty sooner than others.

Behaviour & mood

Energetic, warm, sociable, bold; quick to anger but quick to calm down; likes to take the lead.

Reaction to climate & food

Tolerates cold better than heat; prefers cool food and drinks.

Other signs

Voice usually louder and speech faster; more talkative in company.

Difference from similar temperaments

With moist skin and a bulkier body this heat leans toward "sanguine"; with dry skin and a thinner body, toward "bilious".

A person whose temperament leans cold: as if the body's "engine" runs slower and more economically.

Build & body

Slower growth; bulky or thin depending on whether it comes with wetness or dryness.

Skin

Cool to the touch, pale or slightly bluish in the hands and feet.

Hair & nails

Hair grows more slowly and is thinner.

Face

Pale, with no noticeable warmth to the touch.

Hands

Cold palms, especially the fingertips.

Tongue

Pale, sometimes whitish or slightly bluish.

Pulse

Slower than average and weaker.

Sleep

Long and heavy.

Digestion

Slow digestion, gets hungry later, feels heavy after meals.

Stool

Soft, or (with added dryness) cold constipation, depending on the accompanying moisture.

Urine

Paler and larger in volume.

Breathing & thirst

Slower breathing; feels less thirsty.

Behaviour & mood

Calm, patient, cautious, slower to decide, more introverted; slower to be provoked.

Reaction to climate & food

Tolerates heat better than cold; prefers warm food and drinks.

Other signs

Sweats less; voice usually quieter and speech slower.

Difference from similar temperaments

With much sleep and a bulky body this cold leans toward "phlegmatic"; with thinness and worry or sensitivity, toward "melancholic".

A person whose temperament leans wet has a softer, more fluid-rich body.

Build & body

Softer, bulkier frame; some accumulation of fat and fluid under the skin.

Skin

Moist and soft, rarely cracks.

Hair & nails

Softer nails that grow fast but break; hair usually glossier.

Face

Puffier, especially in the morning.

Hands

Moist palms.

Tongue

Tongue coating thicker and moister than usual.

Pulse

Usually soft and fuller (not necessarily fast).

Sleep

Long and heavy; waking in the morning is hard.

Digestion

Slower digestion, tendency to bloat, hunger comes later.

Stool

Softer than usual.

Urine

More dilute and paler, more frequent.

Breathing & thirst

Feels less thirsty; sweats a lot.

Behaviour & mood

Calm, flexible, patient, sometimes slow and indecisive.

Reaction to climate & food

Feels heavier in humid weather; responds better to drying foods (such as honey and warm spices).

Other signs

Joints crack less; skin is less prone to dry itching.

A person whose temperament leans dry has a firmer body with less fluid.

Build & body

Thinner; muscles and joints are drier.

Skin

Dry, prone to flaking and cracking, less elastic.

Hair & nails

Hard, brittle nails; dry hair prone to breaking and split ends.

Face

Facial lines are clearer and appear earlier.

Hands

Dry palms.

Tongue

Dry tongue surface, sometimes with fine fissures.

Pulse

Thinner (less full) than usual.

Sleep

Short and light, restless, many dreams.

Digestion

Some constipation, more thirst, takes longer to feel full.

Stool

Hard and scanty.

Urine

More concentrated and smaller in volume.

Breathing & thirst

More thirst; less sweat.

Behaviour & mood

Orderly, analytical, precise, sometimes strict with self and others; good long-term memory but tires and loses patience quickly.

Reaction to climate & food

Suffers more in dry weather; responds better to moistening foods (soup, pottage, juicy fruit).

Other signs

Joints crack more on movement.

The combination of heat and wetness; traditional medicine also calls it the "blood temperament".

Build & body

Well-proportioned to bulky, good growth, a healthy, fresh look.

Skin

Warm and moist, rosy, sweats easily but the skin stays soft.

Hair & nails

Thick and glossy.

Face

Rosy and cheerful; looks attractive and energetic.

Hands

Warm, slightly moist palms.

Tongue

Bright red with a thin, moist coating.

Pulse

Fast, full and strong.

Sleep

Moderate to short; falls asleep and wakes easily.

Digestion

Good, fast digestion; good, balanced appetite.

Stool

Usually soft and regular.

Urine

Medium colour, normal output.

Behaviour & mood

Cheerful, optimistic, sociable, kind, good company, makes friends quickly; somewhat thrill-seeking.

Reaction to climate & food

Copes with most climates; tires sooner in hot, humid weather.

Other signs

Sleeps well with few nightmares; general health is usually good because neither quality is extreme.

Difference from similar temperaments

Unlike the bilious, the sanguine does not get dry skin or a dry mouth and is less irritable.

The combination of heat and dryness; traditional medicine also calls it the "yellow-bile temperament".

Build & body

Thin to well-proportioned; slow to gain weight.

Skin

Warm and dry, sometimes itchy or burning.

Hair & nails

Fast-growing but dry hair; may lose hair or go grey early.

Face

Warm complexion, sometimes slightly yellowish; dry facial skin.

Hands

Warm, dry palms.

Tongue

Dark red, dry, sometimes with a yellow coating.

Pulse

Fast and thin (not full like the sanguine).

Sleep

Short and light; falls asleep late.

Digestion

Very fast digestion, gets hungry soon, tolerates long hunger poorly.

Stool

Prone to dry constipation.

Urine

Dark and scanty.

Behaviour & mood

Energetic, ambitious, competitive, extroverted; quick-tempered but soon calm; a decisive, natural leader.

Reaction to climate & food

Suffers more in hot, dry weather; responds better to cooling, moistening foods.

Other signs

Mouth dries quickly; dehydrates easily; thirstier than the sanguine.

Difference from similar temperaments

The bilious is drier and more irritable; the sanguine moister and better-tempered.

The combination of cold and wetness; traditional medicine also calls it the "phlegm temperament".

Build & body

Bulky, loose and soft; tends to be overweight.

Skin

Cold and moist, pale.

Hair & nails

Slow hair growth; soft nails.

Face

Puffy and pale.

Hands

Cold, moist palms.

Tongue

Pale and moist with a thick coating.

Pulse

Slow and soft.

Sleep

Long and very heavy; getting up in the morning is the hardest task of the day.

Digestion

Slow digestion, irregular appetite, very heavy after meals.

Stool

Soft, sometimes loose.

Urine

Dilute, pale, frequent.

Behaviour & mood

Calm, inactive, rather lazy, patient to the point of indifference, slow to react to outside stimuli; slow to decide.

Reaction to climate & food

Suffers more in cold, humid weather; responds better to warm, spiced food and drinks.

Other signs

Memory (short- and long-term) works more slowly than in the other groups; often sluggish and listless.

Difference from similar temperaments

The phlegmatic is bulky and carefree; the melancholic thin and worried.

The combination of cold and dryness; traditional medicine also calls it the "black-bile temperament".

Build & body

Thin, little muscle.

Skin

Cold and dry, tending to be dark.

Hair & nails

Dry, thin hair; hard, brittle nails.

Face

Dark or dull complexion, clearer facial lines.

Hands

Cold, dry palms.

Tongue

Dark, dry, narrow.

Pulse

Slow and thin.

Sleep

Sleeps a lot, but often with troubled dreams and racing thoughts before sleep.

Digestion

Low appetite despite thinness (unlike the bilious, who is thin with a strong appetite); slow digestion.

Stool

Prone to dry constipation.

Urine

Concentrated and scanty.

Behaviour & mood

Worried, obsessive, withdrawn, cautious, sensitive, sometimes pessimistic or melancholy; in return, a strong long-term memory and high powers of analysis and focus.

Reaction to climate & food

Autumn and cold, dry weather are harder; responds better to warm, moistening foods.

Other signs

More prone to rumination and repetitive thoughts; less assertive in company.

Difference from similar temperaments

The melancholic is cold as well as dry; so unlike the purely dry temperament, which may be energetic and orderly, the melancholic is usually lower in energy and more worried.

In Persian medicine the stomach is the body's "cooking pot".

Hot dominance

Heartburn, acid reflux, false appetite (hungry even when full), great thirst after meals.

Cold dominance

Slow digestion, long heaviness after meals, aversion to cold food, odourless or cold-sour belching.

Wet dominance

Excess saliva, slow to feel full, a watery feeling of fullness.

Dry dominance

Dry mouth, full quickly but hungry again soon, accompanying constipation.

Link with sleep, digestion and excretion

A hot stomach usually comes with a strong appetite and regular bowels; a cold stomach with slow digestion and sometimes cold constipation.

The liver is regarded as the factory of blood and the humours.

Hot dominance

Local warmth under the right ribs, high tolerance of fatty food, dark urine, warm complexion.

Cold dominance

Slow fat metabolism, fats digest slowly, relative pallor.

Wet dominance

Accumulation of fat and phlegm, oilier skin.

Dry dominance

Dry abdominal skin, less abdominal hair.

Link with sleep, digestion and excretion

A cold, wet liver is associated with fatty liver and slow fat digestion; a hot liver with dark urine and high fat tolerance.

In Persian medicine the kidney filters water and waste humours.

Hot dominance

Dark, strong-smelling urine, great thirst, local warmth in the lower back.

Cold dominance

Pale, copious urine, local coldness in the lower back.

Wet dominance

Frequent urination, a damp feeling in the lower back.

Dry dominance

Repeated thirst, dryness of the urinary tract, concentrated urine.

Link with urine

This organ is most directly linked to the quality and volume of urine; its colour, smell and frequency are the main clues to the kidney temperament.

The spleen is regarded as the seat of natural black bile and is slightly cold by nature.

Hot dominance

Rarely seen, because the spleen is cold by nature; when present, it comes with hot bloating and inflammation.

Cold dominance

Bloating in the upper left abdomen, sluggish digestion.

Wet dominance

Rarely dominant.

Dry dominance

Dark skin, a mood tending toward melancholy, pessimism or obsessive thinking.

Link with the mind

In Persian medicine the spleen is directly linked to mental states (worry, obsession, sadness).

The bowel is responsible for the final absorption of food and the excretion of waste.

Hot dominance

Hot colic, bilious (burning) diarrhoea.

Cold dominance

Cold constipation, cold and painless bloating.

Wet dominance

Much rumbling, soft stools.

Dry dominance

Dry, hard constipation; little but uncomfortable bloating.

Link with stool

The main clue to the bowel temperament is precisely the texture and regularity of the stool.

In Persian medicine the brain is regarded as cold and wet by nature.

Hot dominance

Insomnia, mental restlessness, passing forgetfulness, a turbulent mind.

Cold dominance

Daytime drowsiness, a heavy head, slow thinking.

Wet dominance

Heavy, long sleep, weak short-term memory, many dreams.

Dry dominance

Light, short sleep, long focus but early mental fatigue, stronger long-term memory.

Link with sleep

The quality and amount of sleep is the clearest mirror of the brain temperament.

In Persian medicine the heart is regarded as hot and dry by nature and the source of the body's innate heat.

Hot dominance

Palpitations, warmth in the chest, high tolerance of physical activity.

Cold dominance

Weak pulse, listlessness, intolerance of physical activity.

Wet dominance

Rarely seen, because the heart is dry by nature.

Dry dominance

Dry palpitations (a fluttering feeling without excess moisture), anxiety.

Important warning

Any chest pain or shortness of breath on light activity must be followed up medically at once, regardless of temperament and apart from this assessment.

The uterus is regarded as connected with major organs such as the brain, heart, liver, kidneys and stomach.

Hot dominance

Bright, heavy bleeding, pelvic warmth, period pain that improves with cold.

Cold dominance

Period pain that improves with warmth (a hot-water bottle), pale discharge.

Wet dominance

Copious, thin discharge.

Dry dominance

Scanty, dark bleeding, vaginal dryness.

Note

This section has no independent validated questionnaire yet; read its result with more caution than the other organs.

Diet

Cooling foods such as yoghurt, cucumber, lettuce, spinach and lentils; less hot, fried and spiced food.

Herbs & fruit

Flixweed seed, basil seed, borage flower (for cooling), diluted lemon juice, sour pomegranate, melon, watermelon, black plum.

Lifestyle

More rest in the hot hours of the day, no strenuous activity in the sun, lukewarm rather than hot showers, enough regular sleep.

Other

Avoid anger and constant stress (they add heat); a cool, dimly lit place to relax.

Diet

Warming foods such as cinnamon, ginger, honey, walnuts and dates; less cold and raw food such as salad and ice cream.

Herbs & fruit

Ginger, cinnamon, fennel, quince, apple, dried fig, jujube (for warmth and clearing phlegm).

Lifestyle

Regular, vigorous exercise to warm the body, warm baths, avoiding cold and damp weather, warm clothing.

Other

Massage with warm oils (such as sesame oil); avoid long daytime sleep.

Diet

Drying foods such as honey, garlic and warm spices; less full-fat dairy and fatty, sweet food.

Herbs & fruit

Pennyroyal, thyme, cinnamon, cumin, quince (to dry excess moisture).

Lifestyle

Regular physical activity to prevent stagnation and build-up of moisture, no long daytime sleep, dry and sunny air.

Other

Cut down on excessive, unnecessary fluids; cupping (only if a specialist advises it) to reduce excess moisture.

Diet

Moistening foods such as soup, pottage, squash, spinach, fresh milk (if tolerated) and juicy fruit such as peaches and pears.

Herbs & fruit

Sweet almond, flaxseed, purslane, liquorice, juicy plums.

Lifestyle

Regular moisturising oils on the skin, lukewarm baths, enough water through the day, regular sleep and rest.

Other

For the melancholic, special attention to peace of mind and less rumination is advised; calming activities such as walks in nature or gentle music are considered helpful.

Diet

A balance of cooling and slightly drying foods; less very fatty and very sweet food.

Herbs & fruit

Quince, pomegranate, tamarind (mild and balancing).

Lifestyle

Regular exercise, but not in great heat; as this temperament is usually balanced and healthy, the emphasis is on keeping that balance with a regular lifestyle.

Other

Avoid overeating and excess, as these people have a good appetite.