A pathway for the flow of Qi in the human body. The network of meridians in the human body is analogous to the cardiovascular system; larger vessels branch out into increasingly smaller and smaller vessels. There are 12 major meridians that correspond to the 12 Zang Fu, and there are eight “extraordinary” meridians that do not directly correspond to the Zang Fu. Most acupuncture points are located along these 20 meridians.
In acupuncture and Chinese medicine, one of the pathways in the body along which its energy is believed to flow.
A traditional Chinese medicine term for each of the twenty pathways throughout the body for the flow of qi, or vital energy, accessed through acupuncture points.