(5)        Rooted or unrooted fur:  whether the fur is thick or thin,  if it sticks firmly on to the tongue surface as if it has roots, then it is called rooted fur or real fur.  On the other hand, if the fur is not rooted firmly and can be easily wiped off, it is called unrooted fur or false fur.  With a rooted fur, even when the pathogens are excessive, the stomach Qi is still strong.  A rootless or unrooted fur indicates the dwindling of stomach Qi.

Summarily, inspection of the thickness of tongue coating allows the physician to know the condition of the disease; the degree of moisture on the coating would reveal the adequacy of the body fluid.  Curdling or greasy fur could tell the degree of dampness in the body; and whether the fur is rooted or not convey the condition of Qi and Yin and the development and trend of the disease.