补气药 (herbs used to improve qi)
- 刺五加 (cìwǔjiā), Eleutherococcus senticosus
- 灵芝 (língzhī), Ganoderma lucidum
- 西洋参 (xīyángshēn), Panax quinquefolius
- 高丽参 (gāolíshēn), Korean ginseng
- 大枣 (dàzǎo), fruit of Chinese date palm
- 蜂蜜 (fēngmì), honey
- 党参 (dǎngshēn), root of the Codonopsis pilosula
- 甘草 (gāncǎo), root of the Glycyrrhiza glabra
- 白朮/白术 (báizhú), 白术 (báizhú), rhizome of the Atractylodes macrocephala
- 山药 (shānyao), rhizome of Dioscorea
- 人参 (rénshēn), Panax ginseng
- 绞股蓝 (jiǎogǔlán), Gynostemma pentaphyllum
- 三七 (sānqī), Panax pseudoginseng
- 黄蓍 (huángshī), root of milkvetch (Astragalus spp.)
- 黃芪/黄芪 (huángqí), root of astragalus
补阴药 (herbs used to improve yin)
- 海参 (hǎishēn), sea cucumber
- 刺参 (cìshēn), Holothuria forskali
- 天门冬 (tiānméndōng), root of Asparagus cochinchinensis
- 麦门冬 (màiméndōng), root of Ophiopogon plant
- 沙参 (shāshēn), coastal glehnia root Glehnia littoralis
- 南沙参 (nánshāshēn), root of Adenophora
- 北沙参 (běishāshēn), root of Glehnia
- 鱉甲/鳖甲 (biējiǎ), carapace of Trionychidae
- 龟板 (guībǎn), plastron of Testudinidae
- 山茱萸 (shānzhūyú), fruit of Cornus
- 女贞子 (nǚzhēnzǐ), fruit of Ligustrum lucidum
- 枸杞子 (gǒuqǐzǐ), fruit of Lycium
- 石斛 (shíhú), Dendrobium plant
- 墨旱莲 (mòhànlián) Eclipta plant
- 黄精 (huángjīng), rhizome of the Polygonatum plant
- 玉竹 (yùzhú), rhizome of the Polygonatum odoratum
- 甜玉竹 (tiányùzhú), root of the Polygonatum macropodum
- 桑椹, fruit of the mulberry
- 百合花 (bǎihéhuā), lily flower
- 黑芝麻 (hēizhīma), black sesame seed
- 太子参 (tàizǐshēn), false starwort
补血药 (herbs used to improve blood)
补阳药 (herbs used to improve yang)
- 冬虫夏草 (dōngchóngxiàcǎo), Cordyceps
- 鹿角 (lùjiǎo), deer antler
- 鹿角胶 (lùjiǎojiāo), glue from deer antler
- 鹿角霜 (lùjiǎshuāng), de-gelatinated deer antler
- 鹿茸 (lùróng), velvet from deer antler
- 杜仲 (dùzhòng), bark of Eucommia ulmoides
- 益智仁 (yìzhìrén), fruit of Alpinia
- 补骨脂 (bǔgǔzhī), fruit of Psoralea
- 肉苁蓉 (ròucōngróng), Cistanche
- 淫羊霍, 淫羊藿 (yínyánghuò), Epimedium
- 续断 (xùduàn), root of Dipsacus''
- 狗脊 (gǒujǐ), rhizome of Cibotium
- 胡桃肉 (hútáoròu), 胡桃仁 (hútáorén), seed of the walnut
- 蛤蚧 (géjiè), gecko
- 菟丝子 (tùsīzǐ), seed of the dodder
- 仙茅 (xiānmáo), rhizome of the Curculigo
- 巴戟 (bājǐ), root of Morinda
- 紫河车 (zǐhéchē), dried human placenta