By observing a patient's skin, tongue, lips, teeth, ears and eyes, smelling his breath, taking his pulse and inquiring into his state of mind, a doctor can achieve an accurate diagnosis.
「問」則是由醫生詢問病人，由病人自訴病情。而「切」就是切脈，根據中醫的診斷理論，由手腕附近特殊部位脈搏跳動的情形，可以察知體內臟器是否有病變。