Vessel

Any pathway of the blood or of qì. Plain Questions (素问 sù wèn, mài yào jīng wéi lùn) states, The vessels are the house of the blood. The Magic Pivot (灵枢 líng shū, jué qì) states, That which blocks [i.e., contains] provisioning qì and prevents it from going astray is the vessels. The vessels are intimately related to the heart; see heart governs the blood and vessels.

Etymology

Chinese: mài, vessel, related to 派 pài both in sound and in the meaning of branches of a river flowing apart and with the flesh signifier 肉 ròu, abbreviated to 月, depicting the ever ramifying system of vessels in the body.